Walking a Wire
by NullChronicler
Summary: Set at the beginning of Season 3, a soldier from Ty Lee's past returns and the Gaang race to end the war by summer's end. TyLeeXOC, other 'ships uncertain. Gets more intense in later chapters.
1. The Silent Professional

**My first fanfic of all time. Hope you like it, even though this chapter's kinda short compared to the rest of them. RxR, and please no flames. Constructive criticism, however, will be welcomed.**

**Chapter I: The Silent Professional**

The fort stood in front of him, its solid stone walls a testament to the resolve of the men inside. These were hard men, as tough as the stone they worked with, and this would be challenging.

With any luck, it would also be fun.

Lesser men, he was sure, would have opted for a safer position, but then this position may have been a hundred miles from the front when it was built. Now, it had become a nuisance, supplying the Earth Kingdom a base from which to attack three separate supply trains on their monthly trips through the area. The loss in supplies and troops was weakening the soldiers in the field, and the Fire Lord himself had ordained this fort's destruction.

_I am the wrath of the Fire Lord._

_I am the sword of flame._

_Life is temporary, service is eternal._

_I am Frostflame, known as simply Pack Leader by some._

_By the enemies of the Nation, I am called Death._

_No man stands against me._

He stood on the wall, watching the sentries collapse, letting the chilled weight settle in his chest as his hands cooled and the smell of lightning carried on the wind. Every time he bent lightning, it felt like something was being pulled away, something that _belonged_, yet _didn't_, and yet he always felt better when the freezing sensation had gone and he felt normal again. It didn't matter anyway. As the teachers said, lightning was the purest fire, available only to those chosen to wield it, and nothing of such power was rewarded without personal sacrifice.

_Sacrifice_, he hated that word, and yet he didn't think he could survive without it. More Earth Kingdom soldiers came, their stones parried easily with the specially made katana. Forged from the hardest steel the engineers had ever made, crafted by masterworkers; it was art, yet it was functional. Running along the walls, melting the stone to create ledges for his feet to catch, he felt the hilt under his hands. He had insisted on that point, that the hilt of this sword be of the same design as that of his old blade. The leather strips on the grip had been engraved with all manner of glyphs and words, symbols from the Old Texts and the names of those he would never forget.

Kenji, the fastest of them all, unable to outrun an Earthbender landslide that left half a mountain bare and an entire company in ruins.

Soru, a demon in battle, crushed by the attacks of a dozen Earthbenders at the Battle of Three Pillars.

The boy they had teased with the name "Ryu," dead in what was only supposed to be a training exercise when an ill-advised attempt to capture the legendary Iroh led to a ship-board battle, and the poor kid was incinerated as he fell into the harbor. He never even knew the kid's real name. Not that Ryu had been much younger than himself. A year-and-half separated the still-naive boy from the deadliest man in the Fire Nation.

He checked himself: The _second-most_ deadliest.

The final two names on the grip were written so closely together that it was difficult to make out some of the characters. Akira Hideyoshi, the blade's owner and wielder, was written on top. The other name was the one reason he stayed in the capital and continued his training, through the times when his trust in the war waned, when his trust in his abilities was shaken, when he wasn't even sure who _he_ was anymore. That name, that girl, that face. And that annoying braid.

* * *

The fortress lay in ruins, most of it enveloped in flames and smoke. Akira stood at the center of it all, coolly appraising the job. A hawk's scream nearly made him jump, and he scanned the midnight sky for a source. Suddenly he saw it, roughly two seconds before it landed on him with a loud screech. Akira almost hit the bird for its noise, but thought better of it as he recognized the official emblem sealing the envelope. He hurriedly shook the letter free as the hawk took flight, reading it about three times before realizing what the words meant.

_Ba Sing Se fallen has fallen and the Earth Kingdom is ours. Return to the palace to resume your duties. You are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain, for much service to your nation and your lord. Congratulations on your successes, and return quickly._

The seal at the bottom--this had been personally signed off by the Fire Lord. _A Captain. I've made Captain._ The news nearly knocked him over. Captains were almost always thirty at least, even though a Field Captain could occasionally be as young as twenty in a small command. He had turned sixteen only a week ago according to his estimate, and he would bet his armor that it was a record of some sort. He almost smiled as he walked out of the destruction, before remembering his teacher's words, "Happiness breeds complacency, and it's temporary anyway. It is an illusion, maintained by sacrificing knowledge for comfort, and should be treated as such." Still, he wasn't able to stop the grin quite in time as he wondered if he would tell _her_, and in fact he wondered where she even was now. He had heard that the show was touring occupied lands within the Earth Kingdom, but he had never seen it. Maybe, once they had used Sozin's comet to end the war, and if he was permanently reassigned somewhere, he could send her some sort of letter. He wondered if the brilliant gymnast from the Girls' Academy would even remember him.

**Well, here we go. My first chapter up on Fanfiction. I know it starts off slow, but give it time, it gets better. More to come, including the appearances of Zuko, Azula and her crew, and a certain wise old Guru in the next chapter!**


	2. Nightmares and An Old Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. 'Nuff said.**

**Chapter II: Nightmares and An Old Friend**

He walked all night, the next day, and the next night, stopping occasionally to eat and fill his canteen from a stream. According to his maps, and more importantly the sun and stars, he should be approaching the place known as Chameleon Bay soon, and from there he should easily get a ship to take him back to the Fire Nation.

As the sun reached its noon-day height, he found a river that the map said would empty into Chameleon bay near the channel that ran to Ba Sing Se. As he washed and stacked his armor plates, he glanced at his reflection in the water. Golden eyes stared back at him from under a mane of long black hair. Normally he would keep it tied back, out of his face and under his helmet, but it now hung loose, a few of his bangs hanging in his face. Although the water didn't show it very well, his skin was unnaturally tan, almost the mocha brown of the Water Tribes--his mother's influence--instead of the pale Fire Nation skin of his father. He wondered how they were doing now that he left, but hurriedly pushed the thought away before he could dwell on exactly how long it had been since he had seen them.

Suddenly, he thought he heard movement behind him. Spinning on his heels into a fighting crouch, he sent an arc of flame across the tops of the bushes. There was a shout, and an old man jumped out from the closest bush. Akira nearly swore, _how did he get so close before I noticed? I must be making myself too tired, I'll take it easier from here to the bay._ "Who are you?" he barked at the man.

"Ah, hmm, is that really the question right now?" The old man smiled, revealing numerous missing teeth. Akira dimly registered that neither of them were wearing shirts, and that the man looked to be in pretty good shape given his obvious age. The man seemed to be giving Akira a once-over as well, and something in his eyes made Akira uneasy--this man knew things, things that Akira didn't know, he was sure of it.

"I said, is that really the question? My what horrible manners you have! I would have thought you would pay more respect to your elders, especially an old man such as myself. Well, if you insist, you may call me Pahtik."

A short pause, "Akira."

"Well then, I suppose we are now acquaintances, yes?" The man slowly made his way to the bank and sat down cross-legged next to the stack of armor plates, "Please, go ahead and finish washing. I do not wish to disturb a member of the Fire Nation military," he tapped a plate on the stack, "and a very important member at that."

For a moment Akira was simply outraged that the man had come barging in here, demanded Akira answer a question without even knowing the man's name, and now was touching _his _things without his permission! Then his anger gave way abruptly to confusion and, even more surprisingly, to curiosity. What did this man know about the Fire Nation if he could deduce rank by armor? Granted, any Fire Nation recruit was drilled to recognize the bright red and gold of the High Guard, but this man--Pahtik, he supposed--looked Earth Kingdom to the core. And yet...

"Staring now, are we? Tsk, tsk, your manners are completely terrible! Not like that nice boy who visited me a few days ago, but then he was the...yes, the..." The man trailed off there, but Akira's curiosity had risen above his confusion, and he managed to get out, "Was who?"

"Oh, no one that you would be interested in, my dear boy. Now tell me, with the Fire Nation converging on Ba Sing Se, what is a lone soldier doing out here in the middle of nowhere? Something that the ordinary soldier couldn't do, I take it? Perhaps trying to find the Avatar?" The man laughed then, but it was very subdued, almost sad, and the man no longer met his eyes, simply staring out at the river. Akira finished washing his tunic, bending it dry and warm as the man sat staring at the water. With his tunic back on, and his armor moved to his other side, away from the old man, he felt some of his confidence returning, and he turned to the old man.

"The Avatar is dead, from what reports I have heard," Akira relayed the story to the man as he had heard from a group of fighters along the road yesterday. Apparently the Fire Princess had been involved, and Iroh and Prince Zuko as well. As he listened, walking in the trees beside the path, the stories got wilder, until several of the men were sure the Avatar had singly-handedly destroyed an entire invasion force and fought his way within arm's reach of the Princess before being hit by her lightning. That was the detail that everyone agreed on, that Azula herself had killed the Avatar with a lightning bolt. That, and the fact that he was dead.

The old man seemed, if anything, further saddened by the story. He mumbled something into his beard, and Akira thought he heard, "...shouldn't have left." They sat in silence for a long time, as the sun slowly sank. The river flowed smoothly by, clear and strong as the spring thaw fed its course. He yawned, wondering if this man was going to sit here all day, and mentally kicked himself for allowing the old man to delay him so badly. Still, it was beautiful out here, with the sun's rays cutting through the trees in a crazed patchwork design, and the water throwing up reflections that dazzled his eyes to look at. So he shut them, laying back on the ground as he decided that maybe he'd just sleep here tonight, since he was only a day's hike from the bay anyway according to his maps, and what difference would a day make in getting back to the Fire Nation? He had just come off a mission, he had been promoted, and he was going to relax, blast it.

"You seem troubled." The man's voice had been absent for so long that Akira nearly let loose another jet of flame. He looked over at the man, who was watching him with a look that said he knew far too much for his own good.

"Why do I seem troubled to you?"

"Please, do not insult my intelligence. I can feel that you have an abnormally strong connection with the Spirit World, for a non-Avatar that is. Through that connection I can feel many things in conflict within you. For instance, the way you were raised now fights the way you have been trained. You now feel the only thing you can do is fight, kill, and destroy, when once there were many things, and you continue to search for those things, even if you do not know what they are. I also feel a great capacity for love within you, but it has been shut away behind walls of restraint and coldness. You are at war with yourself, my boy, and it will soon force you to change or destroy yourself."

He wasn't entirely sure why, but Akira found himself on his feet, balls of flame in his hands, "Why did you come here, you mad old geezer? Are you trying to scare me, or is this some kind of trick the Earth Kingdom is trying to play? Is that it, you turn soldiers to traitors, spread dissension with your lies?_ Why are you here?_" He was shouting by now, blue flame blackening the grass around him, yet the old man sat almost serenely at the riverside, regarding him with those all-knowing eyes. Akira felt those eyes reaching into him, pulling up his life story, and shaking it in his face as if to say _You've done all these things, but for what exactly?_ He suddenly found that he couldn't stand those eyes anymore. He had to get rid of them, and the fire was there. He struck out at those eyes, releasing a curtain of blue fire that met the eyes and seemed to fade, lose strength until it disappeared into the old man's eyes. Again and again he threw walls of flame against the eyes, and when that didn't work he grabbed up the katana. But for all the times he slashed into those horrible eyes, all that he ever felt was air, until finally screaming out every remaining bit of energy he had left, he collapsed, in front of the eyes that only now began fading into the dark.

* * *

He trudged through the forest, knowing that he would see Chameleon Bay soon, yet not sure if he even wanted to. The nightmare was still with him, and he couldn't shake the image he was faced with on waking: a blackened clearing, the trees scorched, his katana lying in his outstretched arm. _They're getting worse. You're bending in your sleep now. _He shook himself out of the memory as he came to the ledge of a small cliff and saw the glittering water of the bay. It was just something he'd eaten, something had gotten rotted in his pack, that was all. Still, the vision made him uneasy, and he resolved to tell someone when he reached the Fire Nation. _No, _he stopped himself, _If they think you're going crazy, what about your Captain's promotion? What about being one of the High Guard? You'll be lucky to serve in the regular army if word gets out that you're hallucinating. No, best to say nothing right now._ As he skidded to a stop at the base of the cliff, he spotted a ship that was just leaving the channel from Ba Sing Se, bullying another out of its way and very nearly forcing the other ship to beach itself. Akira instantly recognized the ship, although he couldn't quite believe it. The prow ornamentation, however, was present on only three ships in the entire fleet, and only two were in active service. It had to belong to the Princess.

He waved to the ship, making sure his High Guard's distinguishing insignia was visible. The ship slowed, then stopped, and soon a shuttle boat was detaching itself from its hoist cables and working its way shoreward.

The man introduced himself as Lu Jee and left it at that as Akira got into the boat. The only other words the man spoke were to let Akira know how grateful he should be that they had stopped at all, with Azula breathing fire down anyone's neck who dared question her orders to proceed directly to the Fire Nation capital. Akira assumed it had been her orders that had nearly beached the other ship entering the channel and wondered just how reckless the girl had become. Quite possibly, he thought, it wasn't mere recklessness but the beginnings of insanity. _But you would know all about that, now wouldn't you?_ He hurriedly shut down this train of thought, before it led him back to--_no, think of something else. Anything else._ Apparently, his mind had finally decided to obey, although it clearly couldn't resist having more fun with him, as _she_ appeared in his mind's eye. He hadn't seen her in over three years, and he couldn't help but wonder if she still had her hair in that braid. _I guess it's not _that_ annoying, when you get down to it_, he admitted. Still, he used to constantly marvel that she could fight at all with all that hair flying around. He also wondered if her family had gotten over the shock of her leaving--last he had heard, they had been threatening to disown her if she didn't come back and live, "like a proper noblewoman of the Fire Nation." He grinned as he thought of what she would likely say to such a statement, even from her father.

The boat reached it's docking clamps, inside a room on the side of the ship. Lu Jee explained that he could reach the deck by going down the hall, turning right, taking the second somthing-or-other, Akira had stopped listening, he wanted up on deck _now_ and he knew he could get there easily enough. Flipping up and over the clamp arms, he slammed his forearms into the side of the ship, feeling as he did so the heat-driven climbing spikes fire from his vambraces. Grunting with the effort, he pulled himself up the side of the ship, until finally he could reach the lip of the deck. He pulled himself up and over, swinging his legs onto the deck and orienting himself. Then he nearly fell backwards off the ship. Azula was instantly recognizeable, despite her Earth Kingdom clothing, yet expected onboard this ship. Zuko, however, was leaning over the railing, also in Earth clothing, staring back at the land they had just left with his scar showing up plainly. _But Zuko's a traitor! Why isn't he locked up belowdecks?_ He turned to ask someone, then spotted the slender, somber-faced girl next to Azula--Mai, he knew, from their meetings years earlier, since she was always with--there. Stretching against the wall of the command tower, completely oblivious to the stranger who had just vaulted himself over the railing. It was _her_, he knew it, even though she was in Earth Kingdom clothing as well. Now suddenly noticed by everyone _but_ her, he trusted his High Guard armor would buy him a few more seconds of silence, as he finally found his voice.

"Ty Lee!"

* * *

"Ty Lee!" He called out over the deck, and suddenly the acrobat was looking at him, albeit upside-down, with an almost silly grin on her face. Then suddenly her face fell, shortly before she did, saving herself at the last moment from crashing to the deck plates. Utterly confused by the change in expression, he was suddenly finding it too constricting in his helmet. He pulled it off, tucking it unconsciously under his arm. Why did it seem like everyone was staring at him? Just because he was a High Guard didn't mean that he wasn't human under his armor. Or maybe he wasn't, from the look that Ty Lee was giving him, quickly moving from a mere frown to something bordering disgust, or was it something else? Then she was gone, her braid clearing the door to the tower just in time as it slammed. _What just happened, and why?_ Hastily jamming his helmet back down onto his head, he turned to the Fire Princess who, it seemed, had an amused smirk on her face.

"Milady, First Lieutenant--uh, I mean, Captain Akira Hideyoshi reporting. I have orders to return to the Fire Nation capital, and I request passage on this ship, or transfer immediately to another ship that _is_ going to the Fire Nation."

"Hmm, Captain, is it? It sounded to me as though you weren't sure. You know, impersonating a soldier of the Fire Nation is a rather severe offense, especially out here." Azula's voice could have frozen volcanoes. He saw the tension just before she moved, and the flame she summoned was easy enough to turn away. The next attack was as well. All he had to do was sidestep and--_blast it_. She was herding him to the edge of the deck, where she would be free to push him into the water with a few hard strikes. _But I noticed it, so I can compensate._ Instead of dodging her next attack, he dodged into it, letting the armor take the brunt of the attack, and letting the hit throw him backward, using his momentum to roll toward the center of the deck. He came up weaving a wall of fire that forced the Fire Princess into a defensive crouch and cleared the way for his own attacks. He focused just below her waist, that seemed to be the center she had adopted. She parried, making snide comments about his abilities, but he didn't pay attention. He simply kept knocking her out of alignment with flame bursts until she simply couldn't block one, which slammed into her gut and scorched the robes she was wearing. He saw the outrage play across her face, as she lay sprawled on the deck. Then she stood, and adopted a look that could either have been friendly or a death threat, he couldn't tell.

"Well, it seems you're legitimate. Only a true High Guard would have been crazy or stupid enough to take a blow _deliberately_. Yes, for your information we are going to the Fire Nation, and you're welcome to come along. In fact," she eyed the closed door, "I think I would prefer it."

**Please RxR, I'm needing some feedback here!**


	3. By the Light of the Moon

**Here's the third chapter of the story, I know it's up fast but I've had some of the chapters written for a while, just needed to edit and tweak as I wrote later ones. The pace is probably going to slow down, as school is really starting to become more time-consuming. Please RxR, I need the feedback!**

**Chapter III: By the Light of the Moon**

The night seemed calm, although he noticed a nasty storm brewing to the south. _Agni, I'd hate to be caught in that. _He stood, pulled his cloak around him, and left the cabin where he was staying. It was really more of a simple barracks for the crewmen, but after weeks of sleeping on the ground, it felt wonderful. At least until he went to sleep. _I'm just lucky that I didn't burn anyone._ He almost couldn't remember the last time he'd gone a week without the nightmares. _But really, _he thought, _they're not nightmares truly. Simply pictures of me that are a bit too candid for my comfort. _He was interrupted by Mai walking past from the deck entrance, looking noticeably pink in the face. Maybe that was just the lighting. Either way, she didn't seem to be paying much attention as she caught her foot on a loosening floor tile and stumbled. Akira shrugged it off, heading out to the deck. He noticed Zuko was out here as well, staring out at the water. Taking a spot on the railing a few yards away, the High Guard left the Prince to his thoughts, instead returning to his own with a resignation bred of familiarity.

_What was it that Seargent Ling always told us? He'd say, "knowing is good, knowing can save your life and your honor in many a situation. However, there is a limit to what can be called 'useful knowledge.' That must be understood. Some so-called 'knowledge' is simply misleading half-truths and outright lies, meant to obscure your true objective. While you are serving as an active member of this Guard, you _must know the distinction _between the two types of knowledge." _He'd gone on to list useful knowledge, such as tactics, political theory, and military protocols and when to pull influence to bypass them. He listed "distracting" knowledge as well, including, to Akira's surprise, most of the traditional honor code.

"On a battlefield, honor is always second to survival. I don't know if the regular army teaches that, but in this elite unit, all of your instructors and superiors believe that your lives are too important to waste for something like honor. Your services to the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord are too invaluable . Therefore, think of the military honor code as secondary to your tactical training and your own survival instincts." _I remember the last time he gave us the "knowledge speech." It was the day we finished our training, and were given the rank of second lieutenant. Seargent Ling gave us another speech too, later that night I think. I wish I could remember what it was about, I remember it was important to him. I wonder if he's still living in the city, I really would like to go see him, tell him I made Captain. _

Akira looked up at the sound of the door opening again, and then a slight shuffle as two people tried to cross the threshold at once. Finally, Zuko simply backed up and let the figure out onto the deck before entering himself. The figure was wearing a cloak like him, although the High Guard's insignia was missing from the back, and the clasp in front wasn't the Fire Nation symbol, simply a button and a string catch. The cloak looked like it should be rags by now, but somehow it held together. _Just one of the ship's crew,_ he thought, and returned to watching the ocean. It seemed odd, but he liked the water, liked how it moved smoothly and continually, and how it caught and reflected light. He was an unusually good swimmer as well, often swimming in the mountain-fed rivers in his childhood. _Childhood. I'm hardly sixteen. We've grown up fast._ It was true, Guardsmen were typically picked around their third birthday, and formally trained from age 10 to 12, when they would be officially inducted as a Rank Guard, usually protecting lesser officers, or going out on missions that the leaders deemed unfit for the older High Guards. Elevation to the elite status of the High Guards took a further year's intense training, and attrition rates ran past 90 percent.

Something struck the rail of the ship, jerking Akira back to the world once again. The cloaked person was only a few feet away now. He had been nearly ten yards apart. How many more people were going to make it to him unnoticed? Akira turned and regarded the figure, frustration at his own inattentiveness turning him mouth down into a severe frown. The figure backed up quickly, then stopped and seemed to shrink a little within the cloak. _Great, now the crew is going to be unbearable. _"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look angry or anything, I'm just used to being able to tell when someone is right next to me." The figure looked up, or at least he thought it did. "Why are you hiding your face?"

"Because you've hidden yours." The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it, like a familiar song that's sung out of rhythm. He stared at the figure, trying to affix an identity, but the cloak effectively obscured all physical clues as to who was speaking to him. "Need a hint, Akira?"

"Wha--Ty Lee?" He couldn't help but marvel how different she sounded now. Her voice hadn't really changed pitch, but the tone behind the words wasn't at all like her. She pushed back the hood and face veil from the cloak, and it really was her. Akira just stared. Her words had been laced with something more than innocent taunting. "I--sorry, it's just I--" His brain worked furiously, and in some corner of his mind, the thought arose that he could dissect an enemy's battle plan, devise a counter-strategy, and create at least two fall-back maneuvers with a glance at the battlefield, yet here he was unable to speak to an old friend?

"Don't bother trying to come up with some planned response or whatever it is. I just wanted to say that you--that--" Now she broke off as well, turning angrily to watch the waves.

_Blast it, why do I have to deal with this?_ He moved to the center of the deck and began running his warm-up sets, then moved on into some basic patterns that he hadn't practiced in some time. He was about to move on to more advanced sets when he felt her approach him. _Good, I can see people again._ Well, it wasn't really "seeing" in the normal sense of the word, but if he was focused enough he could feel the heat around him, and a person was a burning candle against the cold metal of the ship. Without entirely knowing what he was doing, he reset his stance to face her and narrowly missed a jab to his upper torso that would have downed him by sheer force. _She didn't even wait for me to complete a ready stance, what's so wrong?_ But there was no more time to think, just act and follow the cues the fire gave to him. He twisted away from several strikes that aimed for his exposed joints, where the armor gave way to the cloth bodysuit. One twist caused a jab to land dead center of his chestplate, and the resulting impact felt like a spear strike. _This isn't good, as hard as she's hitting she'll break something against the armor._ He sighed inwardly, wondering how she was going to take this, then grabbed a hand, spun her around while pinning her arms, and pushed her onto the deck, pinning her with his knees. After a moment's squirming, she finally stopped and he let her up. She scrambled backwards, quickly putting a good five or six feet between them. She grabbed up the cloak from where she had discarded it and made her way to the door.

"What did I do?" Akira called out. Ty Lee paused, the door open. "Whatever it was, just tell me and maybe I can fix it! I don't want to fight you!"

"What are you talking about? You're a High Guard, you went off and _learned_ how to fight and--and be a great soldier and come back for medals and--and you left--_you left_--" The door slammed with a resonating clang, leaving him standing in the moonlight, wondering when, exactly, everything had started going wrong.


	4. Memory

**Author's Notes: I don't own Avatar, or else Zuko wouldn't have betrayed Iroh in Ba Sing Se. Here's the next chapter in Walking a Wire. I'm finally setting up a bit of Akira's backstory, as well as revealing how he knows Ty Lee. Read on, and please review!**

**Chapter IV: Memory**

Ty Lee threw the cloak down as she entered the room, then staggered to the bed before falling facefirst into the sheet. It took her a few minutes to remember that her hands were throbbing, and she rolled over, holding them up to examine. Most of her knuckles were bloody, and it hurt to flex her hand, but she had dealt with this before against the Earth Kingdom soldiers.

_Whatever it is, tell me and maybe I can fix it! _Why was he here, what had she done to deserve this? _It's been years, he's changed, but he instantly recognized you._ She shook her head. Yes, he had changed, but it was for the worse. He was one of the cold, professional killers that the Fire Nation trained as bodyguards, commanders, and special forces soldiers. _When did it start falling apart?_

_It started falling apart the day you met him._ The image was still burned into her mind, the group of boys running through the streets of the city, the palace towering nearby. She remembered that she noticed him because he was the one in front, and while the rest of the boys were gasping for air, he wore a slightly lopsided smile. That, and his skin was a darker shade than she had ever seen before, standing out from the paler skin of the boys. They kept going, pursued by the trainer shouting all manner of abuse at them, and disappeared around the corner of a house. She didn't really think about it much at the time--soldiers were all over the city--but a few weeks later she saw them again. This time, they were putting on a bending demonstration in one of the city's public squares. Thinking back, she was sure it was also a test of their abilities, but at the time it was the most wonderful thing in the world, as each of the boys, wearing a cute red gi that she instantly wanted, had come up and shown off their skills. Being only young trainees, they couldn't really do much, but she had never learned to bend, so anything they did was amazing.

She had clapped after each boy was finished, until only three boys were left. Then, _he_ came out. He hadn't looked so confident then, looking mostly scared and a little sick. Then, he took a standard ready stance, and began drawing the fire up and around him into a sort of curtain. Then, suddenly, the fire was leaping out at her, and she had yelled and jumped back, and then it twisted up into the sky and now came back down, rushing across the square only to be drawn back to the boy. He had been smiling again, but now he seemed unsure of what to do.

The fire faltered, threatening to fly from his control, and then the smile, the lopsided smile that she would come to adore, came back. This time however, there was something else to it, an edge that she hadn't seen before as the boy walked through several stances, letting the fire slowly spiral around him. As he continued moving, his steps became less like the textbook Fire styles that the other kids had used, and transformed into something much more fluid, more alive. She had watched him do things with fire that she hadn't thought possible, using every empty space in the square. Dragons appeared, and wolves, and the fire swirled around him until all that could be seen was a hazy sillouette moving as if possessed behind the flames. She didn't know how long it went on, certainly a lot longer than the others, but finally the flame flickered and died, leaving the boy kneeling in the center of the square. The only other thing she remembered about that day was that his teacher, or whoever it was that was watching them, looked furious as he led them back towards the barracks.

She hadn't see him for a long time after that, maybe a few months. She had begged her father for a gi like the ones worn by the boys and he had reluctantly had one made for her, on the rule that she was to _never _wear it outside the house. This rule, routinely broken on her walks through the city, had been one of the first that she remembered her father handing down and justifying by saying, "You must act more lady-like, Ty Lee." She hadn't seen why he couldn't understand, she never _wanted _to be lady-like. She wanted to be like the girls at the traveling shows, the ones who could appear to walk on air without falling, who could do all of the fun things that she wanted to do.

"Ty Lee, you in there?" Mai's voice came through the door. Ty Lee jerked upright, "Yeah, I'm here!"

"Just making sure, you've been awful quiet recently. You know, this trip hasn't been nearly as boring as I thought it would be. First that soldier shows up and you start acting all funny, and then I--nevermind, it's just not as boring as I thought it would be. Goodnight." Her steps faded, and Ty Lee flopped back onto the bed. _She likes Zuko, she always has._ Ty Lee wondered when, exactly, she had started liking _him_, and guessed it was probably about a year after she had first seen him. She had known their schedule better, and begun the habit of watching them as they ran through the city, using alleys and shortcuts of her own design to catch up with them multiple times. The boy she had learned was Akira, after the instructor had yelled at him for falling during one of the runs. After the run, she knew, they usually gave the boys a few minutes to rest, then began running again, back to the barracks. She had thought about talking to him while they were having their break, but kept shying away at the last minute. One time, however, she had finally made herself go over when they were through running. He had been laying on the wall of a fountain, and when her shadow fell on him he groaned and opened his eyes.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Ty Lee. You're Akira, aren't you?" It really was more of a statement than a question, and she felt the other children look over at them. Akira just nodded, before getting off the wall and standing in front of her. He frowned and said, "Hey, you're wearing one of our gis! Where'd you get that?" Now of course the other boys had to crowd around and examine the gi. Akira started grinning at her, and she suddenly felt embarrassed that she was wearing the gi. She turned to go, fending off questions from the boys, who of course also wanted to know where she had gotten it. Someone suggested that she was a recruit from another city, and that got everyone arguing about whether a girl could fight, and whether any of the other cities let their recruits travel. The instructor noticed the commotion and came over yelling. He looked mean, and she almost ran from the courtyard when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning around, she saw it was Akira. While the guard was distracted with the still-arguing boys, he leaned in and whispered, "Azulon Pavilion, tonight, if you want to talk without these guys around." Then he was gone, running back with the other boys, with the instructor verbally abusing them loudly enough to earn complaints from residents and pedestrians.

That night, she had snuck out--again--and was waiting in the Azulon Pavilion when she heard a horribly familiar voice call out, "Ty _Leeee_." Her father came striding into the square, his face a mask of fury. His grip on her arm was like a vice, and he was prying her off the bench when Akira appeared, seemingly from nowhere. He wore the gi she had seen him in earlier, as well as a child's traveling cloak. He was also playing with a small wisp of flame, which she noticed was blue. _Blue fire, wasn't Azula still working on that back then?_ Her father had seemed stunned for a moment--maybe he simply wasn't used to seeing a Firebender at night in a deserted pavilion.

"You must by Ty Lee's father." Akira made a respectful bow, and she noticed her father's lines of hostility softened, just a bit. "I've seen your daughter before, she has a great interest in our training group." _Dang it_, the frown lines hardened again.

"My daughter will _not_ be working with the military, she is going to be a proper noblewoman of the Fire Nation, and not that you would care, but married to a fine man from a noble house." Why did her father always have to say the wrong things? Akira stopped toying with the flame, letting it fizzle out in his hand. He looked down at the ground, his mouth working silently.

"Sir, I do not doubt for an instant that your daughter will grow up to be a wonderful lady, and an honor to your family, nor can I say that I do care about...that last comment. However, you have to understand sir, that in the modern Fire Nation, there are not many facets of society that are not affected by the military in some fashion. I can teach your daughter all the basics a noblewoman would need to acquire favor with the military leaders, and thus advance herself in that area of Fire Nation society. It is entirely your choice, of course." He backed off a few feet, sitting on a bench across the pavilion. It seemed her father was silently thinking as well; after a moment's deliberation, he huffed a "very well" and set off the way he had come.

"How did you do that?" She had asked. He simply shrugged, "Not all we do is simple exercises and drills. We've been learning a lot about how to win fights just by talking, and how to convince people without resorting to force, or even argument, since that's really just empty, angry words."

"So you manipulate people." Just like Azula, she thought. _Azula always lies_, she thought it was Zuko who had come up with that bit of wisdom.

"Umm, what does "manipulate" mean? I mean, I've heard it used before, and I sort of know, but I never really got it." For a moment she couldn't believe him--why wouldn't he know a word like that? He had seemed so well-spoken with her father.

"Well, "manipulate" is a word that means, umm, getting people to do what you want without directly telling them to do it, but I guess most people assume it's a bad thing when you use that word. Umm, how old are you anyway?" _Why did I even ask him?_ She mentally kicked herself, wondering what he was going to say.

"I'm twelve, but I'll be turning thirteen in a few months. Uh, how old are you?"

"I'm eleven." She wondered what he would think about that. Usually, you didn't play with kids who weren't your age. _Well, there's Azula and Mai, but that's different, they're just twelve._

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She noticed he was staring at the moon as it rose over the mountains surrounding the city.

"Yeah, it is." She couldn't think of what else to say, so they sat there in silence for some time. The moon had well cleared the mountains by the time Akira spoke up again.

"You're the first person I've seen since I came here that hasn't wanted something of me yet." She stared at him for a moment, while he went on, seemingly oblivious, "I mean, the guys are alright, and Seargent Nei, he's the guy behind us on runs, he's not so bad once you--once you get used to him," he gripped his arm suddenly.

Ty Lee asked him if it hurt. He looked down at his arm, somewhat confused. "I guess it doesn't hurt really, but he, he was so _mad_. The day of our first demonstration, he was really angry with me after my turn, when we got back to our beds he told me to come with him, then he, well--" Akira pushed up his sleeve, revealing a mass of burns along his lower arm, "He told me that I was to never bend like that again. He said it wasn't firebending, what I did. He said it was too close to waterbending."

He looked over at her, "I don't know why people think like this! How can one way of treating fire be so wrong, and another be perfectly acceptable? I bend like that because I think that fire is alive, not just some dumb servant, but _alive_. That's the way my dad taught me, he said that if you look hard enough, the elements really aren't all that different. He said that other people could bend more than one element, by using its connection with their native element. He tried to teach me how to bend stone, by heating it until it melted, then using the fire that you had put into it to control it. He also thought there was a way to bend air and water by using heat. I don't know if he was right or not, but I've been trying to melt the stones around the training area and I think I might have actually done something!" Ty Lee thought he was wierd, flashing from sad to angry to excited in a moment's notice. Still, when he gave her that smile of his, she couldn't help but think that maybe his wierdness was a good thing.

They met more often after that, and when her instructors at the Academy began giving her some free time to study as she wished, they met then as well. Once, Ty Lee voiced her wish to travel with the circus performers, and at their next meeting Akira brought her several scrolls detailing advanced routines that gymnasts and dancers used to train. He had also accidently grabbed an extra scroll, detailing the body's chi lines, and explaining their purpose. She memorized all of it, partially to keep her father from seeing her reading them, and in their courtyard she practiced, claiming that she was working on exercises that would help her posture.

Eventually, her mother stopped pestering her, although her father never quite gave up, insisting she tell him what Akira was teaching her at their meetings. How was she supposed to tell them that she had spent two hours skipping rocks across the fountains, or how they had narrowly missed the guards, after knocking over a vendor's cart, by jumping on top of boxes to reach the rooftops and waiting there making faces at them until they left? That had been such a good time for her, always looking forward to the next meeting, the next wonderful thing that Akira would show her, or their so-called "dances," sparring matches that could last for hours before either admitted defeat. _And then he left. All he did for you, and then he suddenly goes and...and..._ She angrily flopped back down onto the bed, noticing as she did so that the moon had risen a lot since she had come back. _I should get some sleep, Azula said we'd be in the Fire Nation soon_.


	5. Old Friends Gather, Old Friends Scatter

**Hey, here's the next chapter in Walking a Wire! I really had fun writing this one, mostly because of the dialogue. I like how Akira is developing as a character, and I'm happy to show the characters as part of a larger world after all that time on their own before. I hope you enjoy, and thanks to SteelAssassin5156 for the review. The rest of you, please tell me how I'm doing!**

**Chapter V: Old Friends Gather, Old Friends Scatter**

The port was a riot of activity after being on the ship for so long. Akira gratefully disembarked, his pack slung comfortably over his shoulders, and set off towards the palace. However, before he could get anywhere, another Guard barred his way.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going to the Palace to obtain my next assignment, Kojima. Shouldn't you be overseeing the crew?" The other Guard laughed, "Nah, I farmed it out to one of the Rank Guards, they need the experience. When I heard that you were onboard, I just had to make sure we found each other, and here you are running off to the Palace without so much as a hello!"

"That's because I knew my second would track me down anyway." They headed away from the commotion at the foot of the ship, back into the city.

"Actually, I've been promoted, Akira. I'm a First Lieutenant now, so we're technically the same rank. I've been acting commander of White Unit while you were gone" Akira could tell he was embarrassed by this, and Akira himself was almost bursting to tell Kojima about his own promotion. Kojima had been his second almost from the day that he had been made unit leader when they were still in Rank Guard training. Akira had never doubted his appointment; the man was sharp, brave, and loyal--yet he wouldn't swallow lies just to remain so. Akira thought that Kojima was the one man to whom he might actually be able to confess his visions. But for right now, all he wanted was to get to the Palace, formally accept his promotion, and then get White Unit together for a night on the town to celebrate.

* * *

She got off just in time to see him head off with another of the Guard, and only now noticed how both of them wore white shoulder guards, as well as white streaks down their arms and legs. She blew it off--it must be just some Guard thing. Still, she found herfself oddly disappointed that he was leaving already. She also felt bad for how she'd treated him on the voyage. _Why feel bad? He deserves it! But he used to be your friend. Used to be! Couldn't you be friends again? No, he's changed into something else, some kind of monster! You're just using him to make yourself feel better, you know. What?! What you did to the Kyoshi, you probably killed some of them. No, that's not true, I stopped them from hurting Azula! They deserved whatever they got! Would she do the same for you? _That stopped her. While Mai would certainly help out her friend, Ty Lee had never known Azula to do anything for anyone unless it put her in a position of power over them. Would she have let the Kyoshi beat them if she thought it would gain her some kind of advantage? Ty Lee sighed, _probably_. She hiked her bag onto her shoulder and made her way down the gangway, into the capital city.

* * *

"To glory!"

"To the Fire Nation!"

"To our Captain!"

"To the Pack!" Glasses clinked around the table, then the men threw back the drinks in a single movement. Akira choked on his, and instantly several hands were thumping him on the back. _These men,_ he thought, _They do anything for me. They've stood beside me from the beginning of our training, and they're the best men in the world._ He coughed as he remembered the trip that they had taken, following their promotion to High Guard, to the southern coast where Akira's family lived. At the time it had something to do with a bet, but once the men had arrived, it had become something else, something fun. The villagers, of course, were only too willing to allow the men to stay in the village, and in return the men helped with whatever they could. Seargent Ling had taught them, "The quickest way to make friends with a man is to help him with something you don't have to." Really, Seargent Ling had taught them a lot of things, and even though they all outranked him now, Akira had no doubts as to whose orders would be followed if they ever met him again.

"So, then, I was telling him...what did I say to you, Yarin?" Kojima gestured to one of the others, a tall man who was draining his glass as fast as the waitress could fill it.

"You said you'd break the kid's nose if you ever caught him there again."

"Right! And then, this kid, couldn't be more than twelve, he goes and runs to his mama, sets her on me, and if that lady wasn't part saber-toothed tigermoose, I'll eat my helmet! The woman was completely crazy! I mean, I didn't want to arrest her, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she just kept going at me, and I didn't know what to say, old bat didn't even stop to breathe, gets all blue in the face--"

"Kojima, try breathing yourself!" Laughter rang from the men around the table, as Kojima took a gulping breath and launched back into his tale. Akira examined the Captain's mark on his helmet and gauntlets, and suddenly thought of Ty Lee. He remembered, he was going to tell her of his promotion, but then--_Then it turned out she hated everything to do with you_, he thought sourly. To distract himself, he asked the group, "Does anyone know where Anzin and Xiao are?"

"In command of the Darkwalkers and the Red Pirates, respectively." Yarin said. Akira sat back, staring at the ceiling. It seemed like White Unit, known informally as the Mountain Wolves, was getting broken up more often now, as its members left for their own commands at unprecedented ages. Akira had heard that it was because the war was almost over, or because the regular army was stretched too thin and needed officers. Akira disagreed--he believed that his men were simply better than anyone else for the job, and with the war about to end with a bang, of course Ozai would want only the best commanding his forces. It had also reached his ears that all of his men who had recieved commands were working hard to instill the same values that Seargent Ling had impressed onto them: bravery, loyalty to your unit, a hunger for knowledge, and most of all, a sense of human compassion. Akira still remembered that day, when they had rescued the servant woman. He also remembered Seargent Nei's reaction afterwards. The memory was not a good one. _Wherever Seargent Nei is now, I hope he's good and miserable._

"Well, Pack, it's been great seeing everyone together like this, and I would love to stay here and listen to Kojima's war stories," more laughter, and a smile tugged at Akira's mouth, "but I have some pressing business to attend to, so--"

"Hey pack leader, does that "pressing business" have a name?"

"Yeah, Captain, weren't there some noble girls on that ship you were on?"

"Aww, come on, we all know that the Lieutenant here--sorry Captain--has only one girl on his mind. Has for years, right pack leader?"

_This is getting out of hand. _"As a matter of fact, that "business" does have a name. It's called work, although I wouldn't expect you to know much about it, Dasi." The men laughed again as Akira walked to the door, putting his helmet on as he walked.

* * *

She threw off the sheets as sunlight streamed in through the massive windows. Pulling on her usual outfit, she heard a knock at the door. _Great, just when I'm trying to get my other shoe on._ She hopped over while pulling on the shoe and opened the door to reveal Mai, her perpetually indifferent face now marred by a deep frown. "Azula says we're coming with her, she won't say where to." Then, the message delivered, she walked off, leaving Ty Lee to scramble for her traveling gear. _We've only been here a few days, where are we going now?"_ Rushing out of the room, she nearly ran into one of the guards. _Wait_, she recognized the white patterns on his armor. She turned quickly and began running after Mai.

"Hey wait! The captain wants to speak with you!" It wasn't Akira's voice, but someone else's. She paused for a moment, thinking, _Who's the captain?_ Then she started running again, leaving the Guard shaking his head.

"So Azula, where are we going?" It felt good to be out of the palace, walking the streets of the city again. Ty Lee couldn't help but notice all the different vendors that had sprung up over the years, selling all sorts of things both foreign and domestic. Mai was her usual bored self, but Ty Lee would squeal every few minutes as a particular stall caught her eye.

"Ty Lee, could you stop doing that? It's beginning to hurt my ears."

"Oh, sorry Azula. Oh! Look at those shoes! Sorry." At the look that Azula was giving her, she fell quietly in step behind her, resolving not to look at any more of the stalls.

"Miladies! Mi--Oh, Princess!" Ty Lee nearly ran into Azula's back as she came to an abrupt halt. There was some sort of commotion about fifty yards up the street, as several soldiers were thrown backward by a wall of flame. She could hear them shouting about something, but couldn't make out what exactly it was.

"This, girls, is what we came out here for. Follow me." She pushed past the soldier who had called to them, running into the fray with blue flame sparking at her fingertips. Ty Lee hung back; it looked like there were an awful lot of people in there, and anyway she didn't feel much like fighting. Mai stood beside her, idly flipping one of her daggers.

Once Azula joined in, the fight didn't last very long. The three men who had been causing the trouble were dragged off by the soldiers. Ty Lee tried very hard to not look at what was left of the third one. Azula came over, brushing a hair out of her face. "Well?"

"Well what? You did great out there Azula!" Suddenly, Azula grabbed the front of their clothes, bringing their faces inches from hers.

"You were _supposed _to help me! Or were you secretly hoping I might be wounded? _Killed?_ Oh, Mai, I'm sure you would have loved that, Zuko would have been unopposed as the next Fire Lord, and of course _you_ would be Fire Lady. And you, Ty Lee," She wondered when Azula would notice her hands were sending off sparks, "I would have thought _you _of all people would have helped, since I, of course, can easily have it communicated to your parents that their daughter is back in the Fire Nation, and I can only imagine what would happen then. You haven't been very _lady-like_ recently, have you? Maybe your parents might be somewhat ashamed? Dishonored to have such a embarrassing daughter?"

"My--my family loves me!" She couldn't help it, she could feel her eyes burning

"Really? That's not what I heard. I heard they _disowned_ you, and your mother had a new child, a little girl I think. Maybe she can become a proper lady, unlike her big sister? Oh that's right, I forgot, you're not her--"

"Azula, stop it!" The force behind Mai's voice startled both of them as she wrenched her smoking robe out of Azula's grip and stormed off up the street. Azula watched her go, then turned to watch Ty Lee run down an alley, knocking over several boxes in the process. Her mouth curled up into her familiar sneer as she walked regally back up the street, towards the palace she would one day call her own.


	6. Aftermath and a New Mission

**A/N: Hey everybody, I'm back. The newest chapter of Walking a Wire is now available for your viewing pleasure. These next few chapters are going to have a lot in them, both story-wise and in character development, and I may make them longer than I have been so far, not sure yet. Oh, and the Gaang shows up soon. As a side-note, I'm treating everything past "The Headband" as though it hasn't happened, otherwise I'd drive myself crazy with continuity errors. So, without further ado, here's the new chapter, and enjoy!**

**Another A/N: I revised a few lines of dialogue in this chapter to preserve Ty Lee's character a bit, she was dreadfully out of character to me. Also, it works better w/ upcoming chapters. As usual, enjoy!**

**Chapter VI: Aftermath and a New Mission**

"She hasn't been back yet?"

"No, Sir. Not since they left this morning." The soldier glanced nervously at the Guard, wondering what he was thinking. He hated that about the Guardsmen--they seldom took their helmets off, and even then they wore their face like a mask. The Guardsman, a captain by his markings, ran an armored hand through his untidy hair for what seemed like the twelfth time. "And neither of her companions know anything?"

"No, Sir. The Lady Mai refused to say much, although she made it clear--indirectly of course--that the whole thing was squarely the Princess Azula's fault." The Guard looked over to the soldier, and the soldier was struck by how young the man looked, and yet how old at the same time. Then, with a final run-through of his hair, he replaced his helmet, asking, "And the Lady Azula, what did she say?"

"Umm, she said to check the circus, if that means anything. We couldn't get much more than that out of her before she started laughing and told us to go away. Uh, pardon me for asking, Sir, but was there anything important you needed to tell the Lady Ty Lee."

The Guardsman turned as he walked away, with a voice that seemed older than before, "Yes. Something very important."

* * *

He found her at the pavilion, the same one they had met at time and again years ago. She was hunched over on one of the benches, her hair threatening to break free of its complicated braid. He removed his helmet while letting his boot fall loudly onto the stone street. She looked up slowly as he began approaching the bench. He sat down, placing the helmet between his feet.

"What did she do?" He looked over at Ty Lee. She stared at the ground blankly, registering his question slowly and glanced up before quickly returning her eyes to the ground.

"Azula doesn't always lie." He waited for more, but the silence continued expanding as he searched for something to say.

"Whatever she said, don't listen to her. I used to stand guard in the Fire Lord's chamber, and I've returned to that post since I've been here. Azula _always _lies. She lies to her _father_, Ty Lee."

"She didn't lie! I know my parents hate me! When I joined the performers, my father sent a letter. He said that I had to come back, or else I would be disowned, and I know that he's done it by now! I failed at everything my family wanted for me, and now look at me, I quit the circus to travel with Azula, and now she hates me!" The acrobat got up and walked to the fountain, wringing her braid. Akira got up as well and stood behind her. _Why can't you just tell her? Because look at all that she's going through now! So? Maybe it'll make her feel better. And maybe it'll make everything even worse._ "Ty Lee--"

"See? This is why I can't be like I used to be! If you don't take stuff seriously, it doesn't hurt as much when it goes wrong. When you can look at the big picture, your failures don't seem as significant. I--I never completely believed in all that 'universal aura' stuff, it was just one more way to keep myself happy and ignore my real problems."

"Listen, you can't think like that. You haven't failed at everything! Come on, _you're_ the reason I even stayed on with my training, remember? Look, I've made Captain, they've said that I've been reassigned to the Palace for a while, I can be here again, Ty Lee!"

"But you--you left, and you sent that--that letter, and you said--" She was crying again, shaking slightly as she continued to tug at her braid.

"I sent that letter when I was still mad, I wasn't thinking straight, I was wrong, Ty Lee. That wasn't me, and I didn't mean anything I said in it. I--I've been trying to tell you, on the ship over here, that I, that--" _Just say it. _"Ty Lee, I--"

"Don't worry. I--I'm sorry about that, but I'm okay now." She turned around, her smile back in place. Then she hugged him, and, completely surprised, he returned the embrace. He could smell her hair, a mix of wood and some kind of soap. He caught himself wishing he wasn't wearing his armor, that he could actually feel her as she just hung on like someone drowning. Eventually, her arms loosened, and she stepped back, a shaky smile on her face. He couldn't help but grin himself, and it almost felt alien to him, being able to smile naturally with anyone besides his men.

"Come on, you need a shower and some sleep. I'll see if I can't get my shifts rearranged, and we can have tomorrow afternoon to do, well whatever." They left the pavilion, and Akira felt her hand close around his own. He jerked involuntarily, and she let go. _Ah, great. Idiot. _He hurriedly masked the action by unfastening his gauntlet and vambrace plates, attaching them to his belt, and found her hand again. They continued walking, as the lamps of the city burned into the night.

* * *

"I have a new assignment for you."

"Wha--yes, my lord?" Akira knelt in the throne room, feeling the heat of the flames wash over him. He knew that last remark would cost him--hesitation meant weakness, weakness meant untrustworthiness. However, the Fire Lord appeared to take no notice.

"There have been reports of an insurrection mounting in one of the nearby cities, as well as a troubling rumor that there are Earth Kingdom spies hiding within our borders."

"But, surely they must know that the Earth Kingdom has fallen?" Akira's mind continued to race. _How am I going to handle this? There's no way I can wait around to tell her, not without making it obvious to the soldiers. _

"True, the Earth Kingdom has _officially _fallen, but the resistance continues. Perhaps the most troubling rumor is, somehow, that the Avatar is not dead as previously thought." Akira could have sworn the flames got a few degrees hotter as this was said. _The Avatar not dead? How?_ He somehow kept his face neutral, as the Fire Lord introduced one of his planners, a short fat man who's name he immediately forgot, who attempted to walk him through every last insignificant thing that he needed to do. Inviting the man outside the war room, he grabbed the man's collar and shoved him roughly a few inches up the wall.

"Listen, you fat hog-monkey, I know what I'm doing, and that's what I am going to do, and you are simply wasting your no-doubt valuable time, and mine, by going on about this ridiculously redundant idea of yours." He let the man slide down the wall, then pushed off, running down a servant corridor. The soldiers never used these, believing it beneath them, but they were fast and the servants knew how to get out of the way by now. He arrived, panting, at Ty Lee's room with only a few minutes before he would be missed. He knocked on the door with the metal plate of his gauntlet, and when it opened he hurriedly whispered, "I have to go, the Fire Lord's sent me to another city, it shouldn't take me more than a few days, and I'll be back. Okay, I've gotta go." He hurried back down the hallway, ducking into a servant's corridor, and didn't notice a second door slowly close in the hallway.

**Yes, maybe Ty Lee is still a bit OOC in this chap. Well, I always thought her, well "dumb-blonde" attitude on the show was too superficial, so here's my take on it. I also believe that Ozai is the main reason Azula's so messed up, and Zuko would be too if not for Iroh's mentoring, but I'm just going to leave that alone for now. Future chapters are coming, in the meantime how am I doing so far?**


	7. Thought and Action Part 1

**Hey guys! Yes, I know it's been a while and I blame college for that, but here's the next part in the Walking a Wire story. Just as I was finishing this, "The Beach" aired, and now I keep thinking about the various stories/rants that the characters went on, especially the girls, because you've never really heard anything about their pasts before. Ty Lee's mother had septuplets? Wow. Watching the shows, I keep thinking that there's a reason these guys are getting paid to do this, and I'm doing it for free. Maybe that's just me, but still--well anyway, here's the chapter, I AM NOT trying to follow the show, as I have said before, and enjoy!**

**Oh, and I don't own Avatar, although I like to think I own my OC's**

**Chapter VII: Thought and Action Part 1**

The wagon rattled along the road, the light from the rising sun obscured by the thick tropical canopy. Birds screeched loudly in every direction, and insects buzzed everywhere. The forests of the homelands were full of life, and he had traveled enough to know that nowhere else was there this much life concentrated in so small a space. The irony wasn't lost on Akira, either. _The new lands gained in the war allowed factories and manufacturing centers to be set up over there instead of here, where they would have tied up precious land and water resources that these forests need to survive. _He idly fingered the robe he was wearing, one of the High Guard's old traveling cloaks that could be worn over the armor, or without it when the situation demanded they go unarmored. This was one of those situations--no one would do anything remotely out of line if someone caught a Guardsman walking the city. He had almost brought one of the newer cloaks, but the sunburst clasp and woven designs were too easily identifiable.

"We'll be arriving sometime this evening, if you were wondering." The driver was an old fish merchant who had been paid to go visit his family living inland. He had been paid a little more to allow Akira to ride in the back of his wagon. Despite the strong smell of fish and rattling noises the cart was giving off, Akira was finding it oddly pleasant. He had quickly realized that he no longer cared for the behaviors at Ozai's court. Petty officials jockeying for post-war positions, favors for their families, and more often for themselves. Ozai himself seemed strange to him now, after so long a time without truly observing the man. Akira just guessed that the end of the war meant adjustments for them all, and Ozai was preparing for his share of changes.

As the cart rolled on, he found himself daydreaming. _When I get back, we should go to the Royal Market, she'd like that I bet. She really hasn't changed as much as she seems to think she has. All that energy, she could wear me out some days! And she never stopped smiling, and when she was around, neither could I. Yeah, she's definitely still herself underneath all she's been through. Maybe--_

_No. Nothing like that. You have a duty to your nation, and that would just get in the way. Besides, what makes you think that it would ever happen anyway? What happened years ago means nothing._

_But what about what happened in the pavilion last night? Does that mean nothing?_

_It meant that she was upset, that's it. Now get over it._

_But, she reacted. She reacted to what I said. She--she hugged me._

_So?_

_So, it was something I did. I meant something._

_You mean what you __said__ meant something, and really not much at that. Face it, if that fish merchant said something similar, it would have ended the same._

_No. I won't believe that._

_Disbelieve all you want, idiot. It won't change the fact that it's impossible. Not only does she still, in all probability, hate you, you also have to avoid anything that could compromise your service to the Fire Nation. Oh, and let's not forget your back..._

_Shut up._

_Is that all you can come up with? Face it, you're better off anyway, you don't need that._

_I want it._

_No you don't. You just think you do, but you can live without it. You've never wanted it before._

_That's because I never knew what it was before! Shut up and leave me alone!_

He let his head fall back against the wagon. Suddenly he was exhausted. He heard the merchant say something about the trees, but he let himself drift off into merciful silence.

* * *

"You alive?" Mai's voice drifted through the door to where she lay. She hadn't been able to get back to sleep since Akira had come and woken her up earlier this morning. _He's leaving. Again._ She tried to block out the thoughts, but all that she could think of was that, the last time he had left, she hadn't seen him for three years. _Three years, seven months, and a week, but who's counting?_ Letting out a distinctly uncharacteristic groan, she pulled herself into a sitting position at the edge of the bed. "Yeah! I'm up, Mai!" She glanced over to the windows, noting that clouds were covering the late morning sun. _This is _not_ going to be a good day._ "Need anything?"

"Just thought I'd ask if you wanted to go to the market." The acrobat's excited squeal met the somber girl's indifferent voice through the door, and with a hurried yelp of, "Wait up!" Ty Lee began scrambling to find her shoes amid the clutter of her room. Finally coming up with a pair that almost matched, she hurried out the door and very nearly ran into Mai, who had remained standing just outside. "Oops, sorry Mai! Hey, come on, what are we waiting for?" Despite the pink-clad girl rushing down the hallway, the other stayed put, idly rolling a dagger across her knuckles.

"It's _who_, Ty Lee." Almost as if on cue, the cloaked figure of Prince Zuko exited a small side passage and began proceeding down the hallway, with Mai finally detaching herself from the wall to follow. With another high-pitched yelp, Ty Lee ran to catch up with the pair as they reached a door to the main entrance hall.

"You did bring money, right?" Mai called back to her.

"Ummm...be right back!" Spinning around, Ty Lee dashed back to her room.

Despite Mai's best efforts to keep her friend organized, Ty Lee's room bore more than a passing resemblance to a battlefield. Clothes were strewn across the carpet, and several scrolls vied for position with brushes, makeup, and braid assisters on an overflowing desk in the corner. On one wall, a tapestry hung slightly crooked, it's hanging beam the victim of a slghtly overzealous flip off the bed one morning. _I should ask them to fix that_, she thought to herself, as she furiously hunted through drawers and the closet for her money pouch. Finally finding it on the desk, exactly where she had left it a week ago, she grabbed it and hurriedly left, hoping that Mai hadn't already gone with Zuko and left her to walk to the High Market by herself. Again.

* * *

She trudged through the entryway and into the High Market, and her still-simmering anger at Mai was instantly dispelled by a small stall selling armadillo-cats. _They're soooooo cute! I want one!_ Bouncing over to the man in charge, she couldn't help but notice that one of the kittens wasn't playing with the other ones. It seemed smaller than the others too, with a bright orange stripe running through its calico pattern from the back of its head down to the tip of its tail.

"How much for that one?" She said, pointing at the calico kitten.

The man stirred somewhat sleepily; _no one_ expected business this early, and at an animal stand no less! "Ummm, it's, uh, you say you wanted the calico?" Seeing Ty Lee's vigorous nod, he looked thoughtfully down at the box, "Well, she's sorta the runt of 'em, and she don't like to be messed with too much. Shy, I mean. Hmm, well if you're set on having her," another nod from the acrobat, "Well, I guess twenty-five silver pieces ought to do it."

Ty Lee's face fell. _Twenty-five silvers? That's an awful lot, especially after he said she was the runt._ "I dunno, I don't have that much money with me." Checking the money pouch, she discovered to her horror that she only had _twenty-three_ silver pieces and two coppers. _And I was gonna get her, too! Oh well, maybe there's something else around here._ "That's okay. I'll pass."

"Well, if you want to come back, I'll be here all week. Can't guarentee they'll be, of course, but you understand." With a sigh, she drug herself away from the armadillo-cats to tour some of the other stalls. While looking over a bracelet that claimed to prove irresistable to the opposite sex, she began hearing a heated argument a few stands over.

"And I say that these arrows aren't worth the twigs you made them out of! I expect quality from this place, not some half-broken piece of driftwood with duck feathers attached to it!" The shout was coming from a young woman about her age, wearing sparse leather pads over a short black vest and red pants, with a bow prominently slung over her back along with a full quiver. She was now shaking an arrow in the face of the stand's manager, allowing the arrow head to graze his nose with each pass. The manager looked as though he couldn't decide whether to be livid or terrified. "What happened to Lee, huh? You fire him, was he asking to get paid again? That guy was the only one in this whole flaming city who actually knew fletching besides us. I don't give a volcano-rat's rear end how, I'm telling you get the guy back _now_, or else get someone to tell him the Yu Yan are hiring him, understand?"

The man seemed to finally decide that "terrified" suited the situation better. "I--I'm sorry ma'am, please I'll go get Lee as soon as I can, but please understand, we have other customers and, uh, please ma'am I--" He was cut off as the young woman roughly pushed the arrow into his hands and marched off up the street, shoving the occasional pedestrian out of her path.

Ty Lee shrugged--she knew that the Yu Yan were really good archers, but beyond that she neither knew nor cared. Turning back to the bracelet, she briefly and seriously considered buying, but the eighteen silver pieces it would cost would put her further than ever from the cute armadillo-kitten. She sighed, reluctantly putting down the bracelet. _Probably doesn't work anyway, at least not on him._ She continued her search of the stands as she continued to wonder if the kitten seller could be talked down, even twenty-three silver pieces wouldn't be too much for that cute little calico.

Suddenly hearing shouting, Ty Lee turned toward the sound and was rewarded with the sight of a large, cloaked figure barrelling toward her through the crowd. Hardly thinking, she took up a combat stance. A quick roll brought her next to his legs where a pair of jabs sent him to his knees just as an arrow soared over his head to bury itself in a storefront display. Coming out of the roll, a hard fist to the back sent the figure sprawling in the dirt. At the corner of her vision, Ty Lee noticed another cloaked figure fleeing the scene, ducking into an alley as the crowd began pressing in toward her.

"All right, people, clear out! Everybody get back! That includes you, Pink!" Ty Lee realized that the young woman now striding towards the downed man was the same girl who had been arguing with the vendor earlier. Her bow was now held out before her with an arrow nocked and ready, and Ty Lee noticed some kind of design along her right arm. "Hey, you deaf or insubordinate! When a soldier tells a civilian to move it, they usually listen!"

"Sorry! I just wanted to help!" Ty Lee backed away from the man, who was now trying in vain to get up from the street. "He had a friend I think, he ran into the alleys."

The girl looked up from the fallen man, "You paralyzed him, didn't you? You blocked his chi. Useful, we needed someone alive to spill on the smuggling ring." She glanced around at the crowd, "Hey! I said go on! Nothing to see here, folks, so go back to shopping!"

"But, ma'am, you're right in front of the shop that I was wanting to look at."

"What? Oh, right." The girl bounced up from her crouch over the man, walking smoothly over to the acrobat. "Well, I guess maybe I was a little harsh on you, considering how much you just helped us out." The girl looked thoughtfully over at the man, then at Ty Lee, "Actually, if you could help me out a bit more, I bet I could make it worth your time." Seeing Ty Lee's look, she continued, "Just like you said, he had a friend who ran for the back streets. Now, there's only one real way in or out of this market, so that the merchants who come here don't have a choice but to pay the fees. But if you've never been off the main street, it's amazing how big this place really is. Too big to search with one person, that's all I know. Anyway..."

"Oh, I get it! You want me to help you look for the other guy!"

"Not as dumb as you look, huh? Sorry, comes from working with a bunch of men. Anyway, I'm Mina."

"Ty Lee."

"Okay! Small-talk's out of the way, let's go already!" Ty Lee followed the archer into the alleys, noticing that the girl had traded her bow for a brutal-looking knife. _Now that they have the one man alive, guess they don't need the other one._ She shuddered, but kept going as they split among the back streets of the market.

**Well, there we go, and hopefully my writer's block has broken with the completion of this chapter. Look for Part 2 in a week, ten days tops, and questions/comments/complaints are always welcome!**


	8. Thought and Action Part 2

**New chapter, and I must say I'm particularly happy with this one. Hopefully you will be too, and I think my writer's block is over for the time being. Enjoy! Still no owning of Avatar, but a fan can dream.**

**Chapter VIII: Thought and Action Part 2**

_The water around him is ice-cold, and he feels it beginning to sap his strength. He doesn't know how long he's been swimming, only that he has to get to the person drowning in front of him. As he swims, he must fight to stay calm and make the most of each stroke. Flailing madly will get him nowhere, but he knows he's not moving fast enough and he's panicking. The person's head disappears for a moment, then rising again to the surface, and he notices that the water is no longer calm and empty. Waves are growing, tossing the new occupants towards the jagged rocks on the shore. There are hundreds, thousands now, all blindly struggling to save themselves. He knows he can't save them all, in fact he hardly even notices the others. All he knows is that he started out to save one person, and once that one person is safe, he can come back for the others._

_He finally reaches his target and feels a flood of warmth as he wraps one arm around the figure. Now the waves are driving him back to shore, although the use of only one arm slows him considerably. The shore is close, he can pick out one spot that looks safe to leave the person, but he feels a hand grab his leg and he falls below the surface. Gasping as he fights back to the top, he now feels more hands grabbing at him, at the clothes he wears. The others press against him, and he feels the first, his original goal, torn from his arm. Instantly, it seems a weight has been lifted. All the hands, all the bodies weigh as nothing, and he can strongly push himself towards the near shore as the crowd swims tethered behind him._

_But something makes him look back. He sees the lone swimmer disappear again, and this time it takes too long to come back to the surface. He knows he can't leave the swimmer, and he turns and once again fights the ever-increasing waves to reach his target. He grasps the arm, and insantly is pulled under by a crushing weight. Fighting to break the surface, he sees the faces around him, faces that he has known before, and others that he knows he will know someday. He looks down at the lone swimmer, still held to his arm, and he feels the cold of the water crushing him as he prepares to make his choice..._

The water hit him across the face like a physical blow, jerking him upright in the back of the cart. The ostrich-horses, gentler than the native komodo rhinos and easier to guide, stood grazing nearby. Taking in their surroundings, Akira noticed surprisingly little to take in. A small clearing off the trail, seemingly placed by the traders themselves, held the dense jungle at bay. Past the edge of the clearing, the wall of greenery was as impenetrable as ever.

"Well, now that you're awake, are you going to eat something or not?" The man held up half a loaf of bread and some kind of meat. Too exhausted to argue, Akira took the food with a muttered "thanks," sitting himself up on the cart as he bit into the bread.

* * *

She ran from one deserted back alley to the next, slowly learning just how many supplies the market needed for daily operation. Warehouses for goods, construction materials for stands and displays, and rest areas for workers and security branched off from the main paths in a dozen different directions. Leaning against a wall to catch her breath, she thought she could hear movement from one of the buildings. _Probably just a mouse_, she thought, but she might as well make sure. Slowly approaching the door to one of the warehouses, the noise intensified, and she now noticed an odd scraping sound, followed by an odd, heavy _thud_. _Definitely not just animals_. The warehouse had been left partially open, and she barely squeezed through the metal doors. Hurriedly ducking behind a stack of crates, she could hear voices out on the floor. flipping up the stack, she grabbed onto a pallet loading crane and hoisted herself up to the support beams on the ceiling. She could now see several men dragging heavy pallets across the ground to a line of carts parked at the far end. Near a large group of the pallets, two men were talking. One, she noticed, was wearing the same cloak as the man from the market. Straining to hear the conversation, she moved along the beams until she was nearly over the men.

"..._thinking_, you could have led the Fire Nation military right into the building! You said you were going to buy us more time!" The other man was tall and thin, and wore bedraggled robes that must have once been impressive, but now looked like something a peasant would pick up at one of the noble families' charity giveaways.

"We did buy time! There was an archer snooping around the back streets earlier, but we led the idiot all over the market in a wild hog-monkey chase, and we should've lost...uh, him."

"Should have? As in, you _didn't?_" The thin man advanced on the cloaked one, a look of pure rage in his eyes, "_Then why aren't you out there making sure that the interfering archer is no longer a threat? Get out there and earn your pay, or don't come back at all!"_ The cloaked man went running for the door as the man glared at him.

_I'm probably leaning too far from the beam, what if..._

By the time she felt her foot slip, there really wasn't much she could do. So she just stared down at the floor as it came up at her and screamed her lungs out.

She felt something break underneath her, and probably inside her as well, and all she could hear was a horrible splintering noise. Finally realizing that she hadn't put a hole in the floor all the way to the Spirit World, she reopened her eyes and found herself staring at the thin man she had seen earlier.

"So, a spy. I knew that archer couldn't be the only trouble for us." The man's voice was calm and collected, and Ty Lee thought she would have felt safer if he was shouting at her. "So, which group are you from? Not that I expect an answer yet, but I might as well ask and see if we can spare the whole time-consuming process."

"Huh? Spy? I'm not a spy, I'm just a kid!"

"Then what were you doing up in the beams? You should be thanking me, by the way, I sacrificed a load of merchandise to keep you from breaking something important on impact, just so we could have this talk. You'll find that I take a _personal _interest in who my enemies are hiring, and I dare say you won't enjoy the attention. Now I'm going to ask one more time, who hired you?" The man's voice threatening voice reminded her of Azula, and she thought she knew now why the Princess _always_ got her way.

"Even if I was a spy, which I'm not, why would I tell you anything? You're a mean and skinny old man who has other people do your work for you!"

The man's eyebrows shot up in response to the outburst, and the corners of his mouth twitched. "My, this one has some spark. Well, lads, looks like we have our work cut out for us, hmm? Get her out of here, do whatever you want, I'll attend to the interrogation later."

As the two men reached down, Ty Lee kicked out from her position, catching on in the groin and dropping him, whimpering, to the floor. The other grabbed her foot and simply began dragging her across the floor as she struggled to gain any leverage for a strike. Finally getting her other leg positioned, she struck at the back of his knee. Unfortunately, her shot went wild and the man roughly jerked her foot as he regained his balance, sending pain up her leg. Gritting her teeth, in annoyance as well as pain, she brought her leg back again, when a massive explosion lit up the warehouse behind them and threw the man to the ground. Ty Lee was on her feet instantly, but leaning over to incapacitate the man, her side suddenly spasmed with pain, doubling her over. She did manage, through misting eyes, to deliver strikes to the man's legs and one arm, then grabbed her side again and simply stayed as still as possible. The pain gradually subsided, leaving her breathing raggedly as several new explosions threatened to throw her off-balance again. She looked over as an explosion engulfed two more of the carts, along with the guards tending them. Looking around, she finally spotted Mina on the stack of crates Ty Lee had used earlier. Drawing another arrow, she flicked it downward and the arrow lit up with a bright flame along its length. Drawing the flaming projectile, she sent it straight into the last loaded cart, which responded with a final fireball, and the room was now filled with a dead silence.

"Congratulations, you've just lived through your first Deo, Lee."

"Deo?"

"Mean's Doesn't Exist Operation, it's what the other guys call these kind of behind-the-scenes things. A perfect Deo is one that no one ever notices. This one, well..." She gestured at the smoking piles where the carts once stood, "I get the feeling that whoever owns this warehouse is either dead, or is going to notice something big time." She sighed, then jumped off the boxes she had crouched on. "Nothing a bit of government money can't handle, and given what was going on here, I don't think it should be a problem to get that."

"Umm, what _was_ going on here?" Ty Lee walked over to the girl, clutching at her side. Although breathing wasn't too much of a problem, it really did hurt, and she wondered if the other girl knew anything about first aid.

Mina, of course, noticed the acrobat's behavior, with a huffed, "Get over here!" she pulled out a roll of bandages from a pack on her waist. "Here, take your hand away. Let me feel." Mina's hands moved over her side with methodical patience.

"Yaa!"

"Sorry." Keeping one hand over the spot, she unraveled a section of the bandage roll. "Okay, this may be the spot, but this works better to cover the area around it as well. Here, get that out of the way, it needs to be directly on skin or the healing herbs won't do any good." Ty Lee complied, feeling slightly uncomfortable as the girl wrapped the bandages around her chest.

"Umm, are you a medic?"

"Nope. Medics don't heal, they just make people more comfortable as they die." The girl looked up with a smile only to see Ty Lee's somewhat alarmed expression. "It's just an expression," she quickly added, "although on a battlefield, that's usually all they have time for. I suppose you've never seen an actual battlefield though, have you?"

"Uh, actually, I kinda have. I've spent most of my time in the Earth Kingdom recently."

This got a reaction from the girl. "Really? Oh man, I envy you so much! I've never left the Fire Nation! Well, my unit has, but I was still in training so they wouldn't let me go. Wow, so what's it like out there? Is it really this huge lifeless desert like they say?"

"No, not at all. There's lakes and rivers, and forests, and...and, uh, swamps, and, uh, well there's desert too, but it's only part of it. It's really pretty beautiful, especially in the places we went."

"Oh, and who would "we" be?"

"Uh, well..." _Should I tell her about Azula and Mai? Would she even believe me? She seems nice, and she's really helped me so far. But Azula would probably be so mad if she found out. But, I guess what she doesn't know won't hurt her, and anyway she's been really mean lately._ "Well, actually, I was traveling with the Princess Azula to find her brother Zuko and his uncle Iroh."

Mina's eyes widened, "Okay, you're lying to me! You have to be lying to me!"

"Nope, Azula came and found me and said that she needed my help and then I traveled with her. It was really pretty fun, and we got to meet all sorts of new people."

"Wow, that's just...wow. So you're telling me that you actually hunted down the Dragon of the West? Three girls against him and his nephew?"

"Well, there was the Avatar too, and his friends."

"_What?_ Okay, hold on, here we go." She tore off the end of the strip, then gave the area a healthy slap. Hearing Ty Lee's sharp draw of breath, she looked up, "Don't worry, they're just bruised a bit. If anything had been broken, you'd be out on the ground right now. Standard battlefield test, really sorry." She stuffed the roll back into the pack and grabbed her bow off the floor, "Anyway, you've got some fast talking to do, Pink. Now, spill. What were you doing with the Avatar?"

"Well, okay it's a long story, but here goes..."

* * *

"No way! That's unbelievable! So, then what happens?" The two girls sat on a pile of crates in one of the back streets. A large bag of fire flakes sat between them, and a small calico ball of fur purred in Ty Lee's lap. True to her word, Mina had paid Ty Lee for the trouble, actually paying for the animal herself, on the condition that Ty Lee buy her the bracelet from the jewelry shop. It hung on her right wrist now, the silver wire and red and purple ornaments catching the fading sunlight as they talked.

"Well, of course I couldn't move a bit, and then they take the bear and walk off. I mean, they could have easily taken Mai I'm sure, or at least the Earthbender could have, but they just took the animal and left. I'm actually kind of glad they left Mai," Ty Lee giggled, "She was the one who got me out--chiseled out the stone with her daggers. I keep thinking she's going to make me buy her a new set, but she never mentions it, so..." She shrugged.

Mina looked down for a moment, then back up at the acrobat. "You know what? I believe you. I don't see how anyone is supposed to make something like that up, especially with all the details that you were mentioning and everything. Hey, I've been wondering, well if you still feel up to it, well.." She faltered, looking up a Ty Lee sheepishly, "Well, I could use your help out here. I mean, wait of course until you heal up a bit, but you know, just small stuff that I need help with, something to get you out in the city. You interested?"

"Of course I'm in, haven't you been listening? I love this stuff!"

* * *

Looking out over the city as the sun fell, Akira couldn't help but feel it was more of a town that decided to call itself a city just to make itself feel important. After being woken about an hour ago to the announcement that they were approaching Gyudon, he had sat in the back of the cart and tried very hard to think of nothing except his mission. _Determine the threat of rebellion, determine existance of spies, determine existance of living Avatar. I wonder how Ty Lee's doing? I hope Azula isn't being horrible to her again. I'm glad that she at least talks to me now. I wonder, does she still have that old gi? Not like it would fit anymore, but still it was nice fabric, and--yeah right, just keep thinking that, like it'll ever--Focus! Determine the threat of rebellion, determine existance of... _He frowned, thinking that nowhere in his instructions had it detailed what he was supposed to do if any of those things were found. Should he report to the government first, or proceed on his own and neutralize the threat as quickly and efficiently as possible? As the wagon entered the city, he lept from the back, hurriedly drawing the cloak around him and pulling the face shield over his mouth and nose. He would need to use shadows to work on this assignmant, and the setting sun gave him many to use.

**So, how was it? After a few revisions, I think the opening dream sequence turned out closer to what I wanted, and writing Mina kept reminding me of a whacked-out mix of Toph, Katara, and Sokka. Well, hope you liked it, and get ready for the Gaang's appearance (I swear) in either next chapter or the one after that. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Walking and One Sided Fights

**Hey everybody! Soooo sorry about the massive wait, but my comp's hard drive just keeled over and died on me, taking the original versions of this and the next chapter with it. I'm actually having to use a school comp to write this, since mine's still in the shop, so I'm just glad that I'm getting anything done. **

**In other news, thanks a lot to Zutara21 and Taffy0823 for the great reviews and/or great ideas! Also, congrats to Wren Sharpbeak on her great version of Season 3 (Which is becoming eerily prophetic at times). At any rate, it's good to be posting again, and enjoy the Gaang's appearance!**

**Chapter IX: Walking and One-Sided Fights**

Walking through the alleys between houses, Akira reflected on his search. He had spent all of last night and most of today scouring Gyudon for all the information he could that would help on his mission, and only now was beginning to realize the problem he faced. He had expected to find the subversive activity difficult to come by, but still there, a slow stain underneath the town's outwardly innocent front. He hadn't expected this, however.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing illegal was going on in this town. The local prison was used for drunks and one reviled man who continually abused his family, and the worst that had happened in his entire stay was the destruction of a cabbage merchant's cart by a spooked ostrich-horse. _Why? The Fire Lord said that this town was the one spawning the rumors! What's going on? I could be back at the capital, for Agni's sake!_ Finding only a wall to vent his anger, he slamming his gauntlet into the building and was promptly thrown against it by a short but violent earthquake.

_Wait, I didn't do that, did I? What the..._Another shock nearly knocked him over again, and this time he caught the muffled rumble coming from the street to his left. Exiting the alley, he was immediately forced onto his stomach to dodge a volley of stone. Raising his head marginally, he glanced back at the stone's seeming targets. Out of the patrol of ten men, only three seemed to be upright, and one only because he was frozen that way. Turning his head, he brought the mysterious attackers into view, revealing three kids dressed in Fire Nation garb, but sporting some decidedly _un_-Fire Nation techniques.

In the center of the street, a tall, tanned girl was drawing water from barrels at the side of the street and hurling them as ice knives, while on her left a diminuative, dark-haired boy (_or was it a girl?_) unleashed was appeared to be a small stone hurricane straight at him. Burying his face again, he still felt a jolting impact as a stone connected with the back of his head. Seizing on the pause between attacks, he pushed himself to his feet and took in the scene. _They're bunched, close enough to protect each other, but down one, and they all go. I only need one alive anyway._ Taking quick aim at the short Earthbender, he pushed his energy along his arms and out, watching the rush of flame advance on the girl (_boy?_). He watched the tall girl pull water desperately towards the girl, and watched as the girl herself pushed up a rock barrier. _I'm not that weak. Watch, a little more power and that water and stone will be steam and lava, with plenty to spare for--_

_WHAM!_

The world lit up around him, and as his vision cleared, he found himself slumped against the slightly cracked wall of a house. _What the...Agni, what just happened?_ Pushing himself back to his feet, he caught the last of the mysterious attackers disappearing into one of the city's alleyways. Gritting his teeth and willing the ground to stop tilting, he raced after them.

Entering the alleys, he heard one of them shout something about Appa. _Great, so there's more of them? Well, this is what I've been waiting for, so let's just go along for now._ Beginning to catch up with the fleeing group, he sent out a jet of flame. Unfortunately, he still seemed to be having trouble aiming, as the blast crashed into the wall of a building nowhere near the intended target. _Just be glad that these are built from fire-resistant brick, not wood._ Concentrating, he carefully let loose another stream of fire, sending up a wall of flame directly in front of the tall girl. He heard the third group member, a boy wearing what appeared to be a tattered school uniform with a headband holding back his short black hair, yell out "Katara!" but discarded it as currently unimportant. Turning to face him, the three kids took bending stances. Suddenly, Akira found himself being lifted up and thrown into the air, landing several feet back from his starting point

"Nice one, Toph!" It was the boy again, as the shorter one--Toph, he supposed--grinned like a malevolent spirit given a new toy. As he concentrated on the Earthbender, he failed to notice what the other bender--was her name Katara?--was doing. At least, until he noticed the cracks in the wall to his left As the water began rushing through the brickwork, the only coherent thought to cross his mind was: _Bath-house. The universe had to put the bath-house _here_. Terrific._ As the curtain of water rose above him, his brain went from stunned inactivity to something near panic. Surprisingly, the effect on his limbs was identical. _Don't panic. Stay calm, remember what Seargent Ling said, don't fight your fear, use it, make it work for you. _Forcing his brain to calm itself, he let the fear wash through him and leave his mind calm, and his senses sharper than ever. Feeling the air around him, he could feel where the three fighters stood, their body heat standing out like torches against the darkness of the shadowed buildings. He let the fear go then, shoving it into something far more productive.

Anger.

He felt the heat rise within his core, felt his blessing and his curse combine within him as he placed his arms in front of him. Channeling all the energy his body could create, he released it all into the curtain of water, and the benders beyond. He shut his eyes against the light, and yet it bled through, shining as though he was staring into the sun itself. his ears recoiling from the sheer volume of the noise. As the last of the energy left his arms, he let them fall to his side and slowly opened his eyes. Instead of the blackened street and charred remains, he saw the boy standing in the middle of the street, in front of the two other fighters. His hands had been placed out in front as well, although in a much wider position, almost as though he was pushing the...Akira's eyes flickered across the boy's face, taking in the stormy grey eyes, and noted the headband no longer covered his forehead completely, revealing--_the blue tattoos_. _He's--_

"You're--you're the Av--"

With a sickening crumbling sound, he found himself buried up to his shoulders in the street. The short Earthbender walked up beside the young Avatar, "Nice save, Twinkle Toes, but let me handle it from here." Making a complicated series of gestures with her hands, Akira yelped as a barrage of impacts struck him in the legs, chest, arms, and groin. Immediately afterward, he found his neck and and lower jaw frozen in position, while twin ice spikes hung dangerously in front of his eyes. Glancing past the threatening ice, he caught the edge of the tall girl's dress slipping around a corner.

He didn't know if what he was feeling was humiliation, helplessness, or the blow to the groin, but he put it down to all three as he quickly melted the ice, moving on to the more difficult problem of melting the stone without including himself in the process. He sighed, _So much for not finding anything._

* * *

"Umm, Mina, I was wondering..."

"What?" Mina glanced up from her bracelet, which she had been worrying for the past half-hour. The sun had long sunk below the mountains sorrounding the capital as the two friends walked along the nearly deserted streets. Aidyn was currently riding in Ty Lee's arms, the willing victim of her never-ending attention that currently included a belly rub.

"Well, earlier, back in the market, you kept talking about battlefield stuff, but then you said you'd never left the Fire Nation, so I was, um, wondering, you know--"

"Where I picked up all my great and useful wisdom?" The archer grinned, "Well, most of it was from the other Yu Yan. Seriously, those guys do not shut up in the barracks. _Ever_. At least I don't have to deal with any of them hitting on me or anything--I probably would have broken someone's nose by now otherwise." She smirked over at the acrobat, "Although, you gotta admit, the job is a pretty good channel for any frustration at home." Both girls began laughing, remembering the experience from the warehouse. Ty Lee noticed gratefully that her side no longer ached with each movement.

"So, being a girl in the barracks, is it, umm, well, you know, with you being--"

Mina just burst out laughing, "Spit it out, Pink! What, is it awkward or anything being the only girl in a building full of guys? Trust me, you have to get used to a _lot_ of wierd stuff, but hey, what's life without a little wierdness, huh?" She ran ahead of the acrobat, vaulting herself onto the top of a light pole and balancing there, gently adjusting her balance with an ease that impressed Ty Lee. "Speaking of wierdness, you still remember that guy with the green fire?"

Ty Lee snorted, "How could I forget? I don't know what he was drinking, but I'm glad that he didn't set the roof on fire with his breath." Inwardly she cringed as she relived the trip to the club. _At least it went better than Azula's first date, although not by much._ The momory still brought a smile to her face, of the young suitor running from the Princess's room with his hair on fire and his clothes shredded by what would later be found to be Zuko's ivory knife, stolen of course.

"Yeah, still, blasted wierd having all those guys just..._staring_ like that. I don't see how you stand it, Pink."

"Well, I don't know, maybe you just have to grow up, umm, a certain way?"

"Whatever that way was, I'm glad I never grew up like that. I don't want to be some shallow tease just hanging on to any boy that'll have me, I mean, come on, that's just kinda pathetic, you know what I mean, Pink?"

"Umm...uh, yeah, sure! Of course I do!" Ty Lee grinned broadly, wondering if the archer would see through the forced smile, "Yeah, you're right, boys are a definite pain sometimes, but--" Her words were cut off by a loud yell, followed by a solid-sounding _whump_, a high-pitched scream, and a clattering collision with the road, followed by a low moaning.

It was the boy, the one who had been breathing fire to "impress" them, curled on the ground in a fetal position, seemingly holding his groin area. Mina stood over him, fury written all over her face.

"_You twice-blasted piece of Agni-burned rhino manure!_ What in Agni's Throne were you thinking, you complete moron! That I wouldn't do a blasted thing? Stay down there if you _ever_ want to have a family, got it?" Mina practically ran up the street, pausing only to give the boy a vicious kick to his leg, the only part of him now left unprotected.

"Hey, what just happened?" Ty Lee asked, catching up to her friend.

"That complete idiot just tried to...oh, dear Agni, out of all the boys at that place, I get the drunk stalker who can't keep his hands to himself!"

"Oh, umm, okaaaay, well, umm..." They walked along in uncomfortable silence for a moment, "At least you know the bracelet works!"

"Huh?"

"The bracelet I bought you! It was supposed to make you irresistable to boys, remember? So, maybe it's working?"

Mina's expression was one approaching shock as she looked down at her wrist, "If this is going to keep doing _that_, I don't know if I want the thing."

Ty Lee just laughed, "Come on, I'm sure it was just him. Keep wearing it and see if I'm wrong."

"Fine, but if you _are_ wrong, _you're _the one wearing it. Well, here's my place, see ya, Pink!" Not waiting for a good-bye, she rushed off into the collection of buildings that formed the capital's garrison.

"Well, looking back, I think today went pretty well, wouldn't you say Aidyn?" She smiled down at the armadillo-kitten in her arms. Uncurling itself from a ball, Aidyn stuck her head out with half-open eyes before retreating once again, wrapping herself into a ball of calico fur.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that."

**Oh, for the love of Agni himself, Toph could have probably written a better chapter. After the greatness of the original this just doesn't seem to come close. And yes, I know it's inhumanly long, but the Ty Lee/Mina section just didn't want to end and I really wanted to do some justice to the Gaang, not just stuff them in as a bit part. The next Akira/Gaang meeting won't go so smoothly for either party...cue evil laughter... Well, on that note, until next time, faithful readers, and thanks for your time!**

**And I promise it won't take a month to post again!**


	10. Revelations Part 1

**Well, here we are, the next chapter of Walking a Wire. Told ya it wouldn't take a month. Would have been up sometime during Thanksgiving, but to make a long story short, FF temporarily glitched and I lost four hours of typing, so I've been too mad/busy to try again until now. **

**Authorly rant aside, thanks to all you guys who are at least reading the story, reviewers or not. Taffy0823 is a continuing source of ideas, whether she means to be or not, and the fact that so many people have gone beyond the second chapter must mean I'm doing something right. And I own nothing of Avatar beyond the DVD box sets and any good novels they may someday come out with.**

**As a final side note, Kojimo's name was originally KojimA, was changed due to a typo I let slide, and is now back the way it should be, including all instances in past chaps where his name is used. If I've missed one, or if I let it creep back in, let me know!**

**And now, the main event that I'm sure you're wishing I would get to eventually, THE CHAPTER!**

**Chapter X: Revelations Part 1**

The impact jolted him back to his senses, for what felt like the fifth time that evening. Wincing, he pulled hiimself back up, massaging his back as he climbed back onto the ostrich-horse. _I'm not falling asleep, I know that much. I'm just...not there for a second. Wierd._ He shrugged off the latest episode as he tried to ignore the persistant ringing in his left ear. _It doesn't matter anyway. I have to get back to the capital and tell them that the Avatar is alive and still gathering benders. Powerful ones, too._ As these thoughts crossed his mind, he replayed the battle in Gyudon. _He didn't even really attack--just shunted my attack out of the way and let his companions deal with me._ The thought stung as he envisioned the response from his men. Getting beaten by the Avatar was one thing, but two girls (_I guess she was a girl, her voice sounded girlish anyways_) defeating a captain of the High Guard? Unthinkable, and yet that was exactly what had happened.

Looking down at his blackened cloak, he simply thanked the spirits that he had been able to free himself with only minor blistering along his legs and feet. Raising his eyes to the road again, he spurred the beast faster as the great natural walls of the city came into view.

_An annoyance, that's all I am to him._

* * *

Wake up, Pink!"

"Hnnnguhwazgoinun?"

"Cute baby talk, Pink, but let's move it! _Now would be nice!_"

"Wha--?"

"Sorry, but you made me do this." Ty Lee was instantly awake as she bolted upright, rubbing the stinging spot on her cheek, "Did you just--"

"Slapped you, right. We don't have time for a leisurely morning rise-n-shine, got it?"

"Umm, we don't?" Mina pushed herself off the edge of the bed and turned to stare at the acrobat, "You gonna _really_ wake up soon, or am I gonna have to slap you again?"

"No! No, I'm awake!"

"Good. Well, now that you're hopefully awake, a miracle in itself, see if you can hunt through this complete disaster you call a room for some good working clothes." Picking her way across uncluttered spaces of floor, Ty Lee made her way to the small wardrobe in the corner.

"Umm, what do you mean by 'working,' Mina?"

The archer looked up her spot near the overburdened desk, "Well, I guess you'd call it getting attacked. For us, it's just another day on the job." Ty Lee jerked her hand away from her first choice, settling instead on an old, slightly worn outfit she had used during her travels with Azula. Sniffing of the fabric, she was rewarded with the stale smell of old mud. _Oh right, that drill-thingy back in the Earth Kingdom_. She looked back at Mina, one eyebrow cocked, "Umm, you mind?"

"Nothing I don't have, Pink, now _move it!_"

"Fine! _Just stop yelling!_"

* * *

"Father, I can't do this. I have to tell you the truth."

"Oh? And what is this 'truth' that I am about to hear?"

"I didn't defeat the Avatar in Ba Sing Se. Azula did, and she lied to you when she said I did it."

"And you tell me this _now_. Why?"

"Because I'm tired of Azula's lies and schemes. She doesn't care about anyone, Father. No one but herself."

"Interesting. And, if what _you_ say is true, what reasons would she have to lie to me about that?"

"Azula knows that you've always loved her more than me. She knows you would probably rather see her on the throne than me, so what would she gain from the extra prestige of defeating the Avatar? And--"

"Continue."

"And, if the Avatar--If the Avatar is alive, all the shame and dishonor would be on my head, and I would be banished again, leaving her unopposed for the Fire Nation throne."

"Prince Zuko, these are grave allegations you are bringing against your sister. This is not something to be taken lightly."

"I only want what is best for our nation, Father, and that isn't Azula. She's horrible, she doesn't care about our people at all, except as pawns in her own games."

"Very well, Prince Zuko, I will think upon what you have said. Please, leave me for now."

"Yes Father. Father, I--"

"Yes?"

"Azula my be horrible, but she's still my sister, and I--"

"You have done the right thing, Prince Zuko, in telling me this. I do not doubt that Azula would lie to me, although for something as important as this, I shall continue to hope that she has been truthful. I am nonetheless proud of you, my son, sacrificing your honor to end a potential lie with the ability to destroy our entire family."

"Thank you, Father."

"You may leave."

* * *

"Let me guess, this isn't what it looks like?"

"No, you ignorant little girl, it is _exactly_ what it looks like. Seize them!" The soldiers rushed Mina and Ty Lee, forcing the pair to flee into the catwalks of the ironworks. Fire blasts followed their footsteps as the raced among the stairs and chains holding up the platforms. As a particularly well-aimed blast roared by her ear, she reflected on exactly _why _they were now running for their lives from men who _should_ have been their own allies.

_Earlier..._

"Alright, Pink, listen up." Mina ran alongside the acrobat through the streets of the capital, making for the industrial section near the harbor. "There's been a group reported to be sabotaging the largest iron plant in the city, weakening the metal by adding impurities, messing with the furnaces, and in general making a big nuisance of themselves. Thing is, this time something big's been planned."

"What--What is it?" Ty Lee gasped out. Mina glanced over before rounding a corner and confronting a massive building that dominated the warehouses and factories for blocks. "Is--Is that--the iron plant?"

"Yep, that's the iron plant. And if these guys pull off their plan, it's going up in flames and taking half the capital's production facilities with it. Now come on, I know a way in." Abruptly turning down a side street, Ty Lee nearly lost her in the ensuing maze of alleys and boxes. Finally, she caught up with the archer outside a small metal door.

"Took ya long enough, Pink." Grunting with the effort, the heavy door slid open to reveal a darkened hallway, "maintenance are the only people who really use this, and hardly anyone even knows it's back here, so no one really keeps watch. Follow me." As they moved along into the shadows, Ty Lee nervously glanced around them. Either it was her imagination, or some of the shadows were _moving_. _It's all in my head. Just a big, creepy building, nothing can really hurt me. Everything's going to be fine._

"This isn't right, they shouldn't be starting yet. And are those ours?" Mina's voice startled Ty Lee just in time to avoid running into her. Glancing over the girl's shoulder, she saw only a large, seemingly empty room. "What do you--?"

"Shut it." Was the only response, as Mina remained motionless in front of the view port in the metal.

"Definitely ours, and that's the part I'm getting answers for. Pink, follow me and don't get yourself too banged up." Shoving open the door, the archer strode confidently into the midst of the crowd. Glancing around, Ty Lee noticed a number of carts, similar to the ones she had seen at the Market. Also, several men in dark cloaks reminded her of the men from the warehouse. Before she could say anything though, Mina spoke up.

"So, let me start. It looks like you're hauling several loads of blasting jelly and flare charges, and you intend to either do some serious harm to some structure, or put on a completely illegal fireworks display. As for you," Here Mina jabbed a finger at a knot of men dressed in Fire Nation Army uniforms, "You're going to just sit back and let them? What was it, get your request for leave denied, or are you all just a bunch of traitors?"

One of the cloaked men spoke up, "Miss, I'm really very sorry to have to tell you this, since I can tell you're obviously a fine, upstanding young soldier, but--"

"Let me guess, this isn't what it looks like?"

_Present_

"Hey Pink, looks like we've run out of places to run!" Looking ahead, Ty Lee felt her stomach tie itself in knots as several of the cloaked men approached from the other end of the catwalk. Turning, that knot fell into her shoes as a group of the Fire Nation soldiers made it up the final stairway to stand level with them, not ten feet apart.

"Pink?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Jump."

"What? Do you know how far up--?"

"_I said jump!_" Suddenly, Ty Lee wasn't standing on metal anymore. As the heat from a fire blast raced across her skin, the world spun into a series of chains, railings, and brief flashes of fire as she once again found the floor rushing up to greet her.

**I feel evil ending the chapter like this, but if I had added the next section, no one would have been able to read all the way through without needing some kind of breather. Let's just say that Azula's lies are going to catch up with her rather painfully. Also, I want ideas on what happened to Suki and the Kyoshi after the fight with Azula. I have a few ideas, but I want to hear what some of you think would happen. Until next time, faithful readers, and don't make the platypus-bear angry.**

**P.S. God is the source of all talent, we just get it on loan.--NullChronicler**


	11. Revelations Part 2

**Hello again, faithful readers, and welcome to the latest installment of Walking a Wire. Finals are upon us, and it is with great difficulty that the time was found to write this chapter. As it is, I'm surprisingly happy with how the whole thing went, although I'm the author so I guess I would feel like that to be posting at all. I'll let you decide for yourselves, but for now, enjoy!**

**Chapter XI: Revelations Part 2**

_"What? Do you know how far up--?"_

_"I said jump!" Suddenly, Ty Lee wasn't standing on metal anymore. As the heat from a fire blast raced across her skin, the world spun into a series of chains, railings, and brief flashes of fire as she once again found the floor rushing up to greet her._

She fell through the multiple levels of the walkways, seeing only the blur of metal and fire. It reminded her of the times she had fallen from the high wire, only this time she knew there wouldn't be a net to catch her. Trying to steady herself, she kicked out and was rewarded with a sharp pain in her foot, courtesy of a platform she just happened to hit. _How many levels can I have left? This place is only so tall, after all..._Spotting the blurred line of a support chain, she grabbed with both hands. She felt the chain sliding between her fingers, and her palms burned, but she was noticeably slowing.

Then, with a sickening punch to her gut, she stopped. She fell over the metal railing onto the platform, curling herself into a ball as she massaged her throbbing stomach. Shakily standing, she glanced around to find herself completely alone. Hurriedly looking over the railing, she saw no bodies broken against the floor. _Thank Agni, Mina's alive._

"Hey! Here's one of them!" Ty Lee spun to see a soldier rushing towards her. Backing up, her hand touched the chain she had slid down. _Wait, idea..._Grabbing the chain, she kicked off from the platform, coming around and slamming both feet into the man's side. The move caused further protest from her stinging hands, but it worked--the man was thrown into the opposite railing, where he fell from sight with a muted yell. Unfortunately, two others, the cloaked ones, came down from the level above flinging waves of flame at her. Jumping between the chains and the railings, she managed to avoid the attacks and stunned one with a hard blow to the chest. Using the railing as leverage, she slammed the other attacker into the platform before paralyzing him. _Hey, maybe these guys can be beat after all._

A blast of fire forced her up the chain once again, as soldiers and cloaked men attacked from both sides. _And maybe not..._

* * *

"Stop and state your business!"

"Shut up, my head hurts enough already. Get me a doctor and a High Guardsman." The man at the gate gave him an odd look, clearly surprised by his disheveled appearance. _Yes, this blackened, slumped form is in fact a High Guard captain, not some half-mad nomad begging._

"What is the nature of your condition, and is it contagious?"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up? Head injury, concussion probable, now get me the Agni-cursed doctor and High Guardsman!"

"No need to yell, Pack Leader." Kojima's armored form slowly detached itself from the shadows behind the gate. With a wave, the keeper practically fell over himself trying to get the gate open, whereupon Akira promptly fell off the ostrich-horse. Hanging on to the mount, as well as his personal pride, by only the bridle, he turned to his second, "Thanks, Kojima. I have an important message for the Firrr-" The ground tilted under him, and he grabbed onto the ostrich-horse's side.

"Easy, Pack Leader. I'll get the message delivered, whatever it is. And don't worry, I know of a good doctor just a few blocks over. Might not appreciate the late hour, but we'll see how agreeable we can get the old doc, eh?" As he began walking, Akira suddenly felt dizzy, and the ground threatened to slide out from under his feet.

"Promise me you'll wear your helmet next time, 'kay?" Kojima draped Akira's arm over his shoulder just as an echoing blast rang across the city. Both scanned the surroundings, before Kojima pointed out over the buildings, "Explosion, industrial sector by the direction. The color's odd though." They came to the alarming realization at approximately the same moment.

"The iron plant."

"Get anybody you can, I'll head over to see what we can do."

"In your condition?"

"Suddenly, I feel fine." _It's actually true,_ Akira mused, as he ran through the slowly filling streets, _Suddenly, everything's back in focus. All my sense are sharper. Fighting high--just hope I get to enjoy it._

* * *

The air around her shimmered with the heat of molten iron spilling from its containers, and the light filtering up from the floor cast everything in a cursed light that reminded her entirely too much of a painting they had seen at the Girls' Academy. _"Agni's Throne" I think they called it._ She thought back over what she remembered of the image, as flame danced among the chains and the metal glowed a dull red. _All I remember is that Agni looked mean in the picture, like he was enjoying burning the people who were there. Then again, _she corrected herself, _none of the people there were Fire Nation, if I remember right_. A sharp pain in her hand pulled her out of her memory and she hurriedly let go of the chain, barely catching another as a blast of flame shot through where she had been a moment before.

She dropped to the platform, her foot slipping in the dark stain seeping through the grill-work. Hurriedly scanning the platform, she finally spotted Mina. The archer had slung her bow across her back once more, and instead seemed to be digging from a pouch tied to her waist. Bringing her hand up, she quickly snapped it forward, almost like a snake striking, and a cloaked man fell with a yell, grabbing at his face. Another strike, and this time Ty Lee caught the flame surrounding a small projectile as it cracked the edge of a soldier's eye-slit. Hearing motion, she spun in a crouch, just missing the flaming kick that sailed harmlessly over her head, as she pushed up from her position with a solid impact against the chestplate of a soldier, throwing him backwards into his companions.

"Hey Pink! Come on!" Turning, she caught the last of Mina's opponents collapsing to the platform, and the archer sheathing a knife. Before the last clang of the armor had faded, the archer was sliding down a chain to the levels below, Ty Lee not far behind. Swinging among the chains and supports, the two quickly left the remaining attackers behind. Glancing at her friend, Ty Lee couldn't help but be impressed by her agility, keeping the same pace as the acrobat as their surroundings blurred around them. Finally landing on the lowest level of the catwalks, Ty Lee found herself covered in sweat from the heat rising from the floor. Descending the stairs to the floor of the plant, she forced herself to not look at the men laying shattered against the floor, or even worse protruding from the smoking and spitting iron that lay cooling across the ground.

"Well, maybe you aren't so hopeless after all, Pink. Did pretty good back there, actually." Ty Lee only offered up a weak grin in response. She was tired, slightly singed, and needed a bath, but at the same time happy for the compliment. Walking towards the door from which they had entered, she almost missed the figure picking its way across the patches of molten iron at the edges of the room.

"What have you managed to get yourself involved in now, huh?" Turning, she grinned at the familiar voice as Akira approached the two.

"Oh, just the usual. You know, nothing serious or dangerous." She was rewarded by his lopsided grin, as Mina walked up beside her.

"Who's this joker?" She demanded, pulling her knife once more from its sheathe. Ty Lee hurriedly placed herself between the two as Akira's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Listen, we're all on the same side, alright? Let's be friends!"

"Considering recent events, you'll excuse me if I'm not the most trusting person right now." Nonetheless, after a glance at Akira, she slowly replaced the knife. Ty Lee visibly relaxed, _glad that's over, now about that bath?_ Unfortunately, her thoughts were interrupted by a group of men barging through a doorway and freezing at the scene before them.

"It's all right, Kojima. No need to--Aya! A'que!" A jolt seemed to go through the assembled soldiers as they turned as one and fired at something behind her. The flames passed over her head, and she turned in time to see a smoking body slam into the floor.

She turned to Akira, wide-eyed. "What--?"

"What--?" The acrobat struggled to form words as Yarin and Dasi ran to check on the downed man. Akira waved an all-clear to the rest of the Guardsmen, although he punctured the signal with a warning of "Stay alert." He turned to the hopelessly lost acrobat, "He was going to blast the two of you, I wasn't going to stand and watch."

"Sir, engineer crews reporting." A short, stocky man wearing a heavy coat and face mask introduced himself. Akira noted a small army of the men hurrying to scrape up the molten metal and place it in holding tanks.

"Carry on, I wouldn't know the first thing about what to do. Just be careful, there could be additional explosives. If you find anything suspicious, get one of us to deal with it." He jabbed his thumb at the Wolves behind him, "Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to get to the Palace." As he turned to leave, he caught Ty Lee's eye. The nod was almost imperceptible, as was the word that he mouthed quckly before making his way out of the plant. _I only hope she caught that. _As he reentered the streets, he mumbled the word softly to himself.

"Tomorrow."

* * *

"The Fire Lord will see no one at the present time."

"He'll see me, it's important."

"I'm sorry sir, but the Fire Lord will see no one at the present time."' With his remark, the aide turned back to his work, leaving a fuming Akira to reconsider his options. _So I can't get in officially, but I could always use the Guard room to get in and talk with him. For something like this, he'll _have_ to talk to me! But then how am I going to say it, not like every day that the Avatar himself comes back to life. Wait a second...Oh, Agni, forget it, just go in there and tell him, not like he can kill you for delivering a message, right? Seriously, can he? Whatever, I need something for this headache._ Replacing his helmet, he walked off to find the passage that led to the Guard's waiting area adjacent to the throne room.

Went he entered the throne room, he was unsurprised to find the throne occupied. He couldn't see much beyond the curtain of flame, but the man kneeling in the floor was shaking so badly that he could barely get words out.

"Getting-getting as much as we can, my lord. The-the mines, they-they just can't-I mean--"

"Silence. You've said enough." The form behind the curtain rose, and the flames seemed to jump higher in response, "You will be sent additional medical supplies in each month's shipment, as well as additional staff for the camp hospital. However, I expect results from this new 'program' of yours, and soon." The Fire Lord sat back down, and the man proceeded to scramble to his feet before nearly falling again while bowing, and hurriedly left the room. Akira quietly advanced to the edge of the open floor in front of the throne, and steeled himself for whatever came. _Think positive. Don't think about failure. Think positive._

"Permission to speak, my lord." He registered that one of the Guards jumped, completely surprised by his presence. _New recruit, he'll have to do better than that to survive long here._

The silhouette wavered for a moment. "Proceed."

Akira took a deep breath, "Sir, on my mission to Gyudon, I confronted and was--was defeated by the Avatar and two of his companions."

The room seemed to echo with the silence. Even the flaming curtain quieted as the shadow behind it seemed to quiver with barely restrained emotion.

"What did you say?" The voice was forcibly restrained, and the tension was tangible as the flames flickered unsteadily.

"The Avatar is alive, my lord, and is fighting once again."

The flames blazed up from their containers, licking against the high ceiling. Sparks seemed to flicker around the room, and the hair on the back of Akira's neck stood up. _Spirits, he's calling lightning. Agni protect me._

_I already am._

His eyes widened in shock. _What? That wasn't me, who's voice was that? _The mysterious voice kept quiet, however, and presently he bacame aware that the fire had lowered and steadied itself once more. The figure on the podium remained motionless, but Akira could feel the restraint it was taking.

"Go. Now."

Not needing to be told twice, and he hurried from the chamber, scaring the aide on the way out, and headed for the Palace doctor's quarters, all the while wondering where the voice could have come from. _It couldn't have been...could it? The spirits don't mingle with humans anymore. So what was that? This is doing nothing for my headache._

**Next Chapter: Doctor's orders ground our hero from his work and force him to take a vacation with a friend, and a Princess discovers the price for lying to the Fire Lord. Tune in Next Week! Or somewhere around then.**


	12. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

**Wow, what a weekend! Finals got canceled b/c of this ridiculous ice storm that's basically frozen the area solid, so in celebration I wrote this chapter. Be warned: this chapter contains three situations and the title I guess is a sort of spoiler for how they turn out. The title is also the name of a very good Clint Eastwood movie, but that's irrelevant. Now, on with the show, and enjoy!**

**Kojima: Why am I the one holding a cue card? I'm not some stupid messenger boy! sigh Whatever. Avatar is property of Mike, Brian, and Nickelodeon, now can I leave?**

**Chapter XII: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly**

"Captain Akira Hideyoshi?"

"Yes?"

"The doctor, after reviewing your case, has recommended we remove you from duty for a week, to allow your concussion to heal. An office assignment was recommended, something low-stress, out of the way." The base commander looked at the captain over folded hands, his expression unreadable, "However given your history of service, and recent events--"

"Sir, I-I can explain-"

"No need, Captain. You were defeated by the Avatar, the Fire Lord believes you, that's good enough for me. Trust me, if the Avatar was a pushover, do you think that we would have lost the North Pole?" A smile seemed to tug at the commander's mouth.

"So, what--?"

"What assignment do we have for you? A rather unusual one, I'm afraid. A week of paid leave at Ember Island ought to do it." The man couldn't help it, he grinned broadly at the look on the stunned captain's face, and let a low chuckle escape his lips.

"Also, when hearing of your new assignment, your men were helpful enough to suggest that I order two tickets for the ferry instead of just one." This time, he nearly laughed outright watching the emotions struggle behind his face. Akira finally settled for examining his boots, as his mind was instantly thrown into chaos by the commander's words.

_This is absolutely, completely, the most awesome thing that could have possibly happened to me, ever!_

_Yeah, sure, but you know it's going to go wrong eventually._

_Who blasted cares? It's going to be great this week. I can take her to Ember Island for a full week, hang out, be friends again like we used to! Or maybe..._

_Oh, shut it. You're a hopeless idiot._

_Am not._

_You're a soldier, you've been a soldier for years, you automatically have no chance._

_Come on, she likes me!_

_We've been over this before, remember?_

_Oh, just shut up and thank the nice man._

"Thank you--thank you, sir!" Akira gratefully took the offered tickets from the man's hand and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Captain Hideyoshi?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Try to have fun. I think you've earned it."

* * *

The late morning air outside the Palace was shattered with a high-pitched scream.

"OhmygoshthisisamazingIcan'tbelievetheyletyouohthisiswonderfulIcan'twait!"

"Ty Lee, slow down and breath, okay?" Akira found himself grinning shamelessly as the pink-clad girl got a hold on herself. Suddenly her eyes widened, "Oh no, I need clothes!" With that she was off and running, her braid swinging behind her as she skidded around a corner and was lost from view. Akira just threw back his head and laughed, scaring one of the servants passing by. _A Guardsman? Laughing? Who's dying?_

* * *

Aang blew the bit of fuzz out of his face as he sat up on the cool, soft grass. Appa lay only a few yards away, happily pulling up said grass with almost obscene relish while Momo chittered away from his perch on the bison's horn. Around him, the other members of their group sat occupying themselves as the morning crawled onward. Sokka was, as usual, sharpening and shining his sword, a beautiful onyx blade he had only recently obtained while he trained with a swordmaster. Katara was scrubbing out her spare tunic, the victim of a rather successful prank by Toph and Sokka working together. Looking over at the diminuitive Earthbender, he found her forming shapes with her black meteor bracelet as fast as she could move her hands, while muttering to herself over something. Aang strained to make sense of some of the mutterings, but only caught "I care" and "me too?" Shrugging off the odd comments as yet more odd behavior from the decidedly odd Toph, he was nevertheless surprised when she looked up abruptly and said, "Snoozles, come with me. I need to talk to you about something."

"Huh? Can't it wait, I need to polish this some more!" Sokka whined, obviously distraught that he couldn't yet see his face reflected in the black material.

"No, _Sokka_, it can't. I need to talk _now._" The use of his actual name, in addition to her tone of voice, brought Sokka to a stunned silence. Blankly, he got up and followed Toph away from the camp, leaving Aang to wonder exactly what was going on while Katara wrung out the now-clean tunic.

"So, we haven't had a good waterbending duel in a while. You game?" Aang turned to see Katara's mischevious grin as she drew a large amount of water from the small stream.

"When am I ever not game?" He said, as he pulled his own water out, forming a ring of tendrils around his feet.

"The Octopus? Haven't seen that in a while. Maybe you'll be a challenge this time, _student Aang_?"

"I want a good match, _Sifu_ _Katara_. No holding back."

"Alright, but you asked."

Katara sent out whip after whip, only to have them easily blocked by Aang's tentacles. Trying a different approach, she sent out a jet of water at her opponent, pulling it up at the last minute and then bringing it down inside his defenses. Aang retaliated by forming the water into a frozen sheild around himself, then shattering the ice with a strong kick. The ice shards hovered around him before a quick, fluid motion sent them streaking toward the girl. Quickly melting the incoming projectiles, she drew the water aside, then around, looping it back to send right back to Aang. However, both were startled by a hoarse shout coming from the direction Toph and Sokka had walked off to.

"_You-you're lying! You have to be!"_

_"Why? Just because I don't feel a certain way doesn't mean that I'm automatically lying!"_

_"So you're just walking off? You don't walk away when I'm talking to you, lunkhead!"_ An ominous low roar made Aang and Katara stare at each other in alarm.

Rounding a line of large bushes, they found Sokka trapped up to his neck, with Toph standing over him breathing heavily.

_"I thought you would understand! You, of all people! But _noooo_, you just had to ruin everything, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"_

"Toph, what in the world is going on?" Toph looked up at Katara as though broken from a spell, her sightless eyes wide and shining. Then, she turned and ran. "Wait! Toph!" But Katara's shouting was useless, as the blind Earthbender kept running.

Aang sighed, "Go talk to her?"

Katara shook her head, "No, I"m going to stay here and have a word with Sokka." The latter gave a small squeak under the look his sister gave him. "You go talk to her, you're probably the only one she'll listen to at the moment." Aang nodded, then set off to find his Earthbending teacher.

Katara looked over at her brother, who gave another pitiful squeak, "Mind telling me what you did to _make_ _Toph cry?_"

She wasn't too hard to track, to tell the truth. Aang noticed that she had used her earth wave to quickly reach the edge of the trees, but had promptly crashed upon hitting the dense growth. He found her curled up in the roots of a tree only a few yards in, shaking violently and absently beating her fist into the bark.

"You okay, Toph?" He instantly regretted the question. _Of course she's not okay! Anyone with working eyes can see that, and after what just happened I bet even a blind person would know!_

The only response from the girl was a violent shake of the head, as her hand again pounded the tree. Aang sighed and sat down beside her, leaning against the trunk, "I'm here if you wanna talk."

The beating stopped, and he heard a loud sniff as the girl adjusted her position. "Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"I--I shouldn't have told Sokka that I--that I like him. I think I just messed everything up."

Aang justed stared at the girl, wondering where all this had come from. In all the time he'd known her, Toph had been just as hard and callous as the stone she worked with, and this declaration slightly disturbed him. "Uh, Toph, what do you mean, 'like him?'"

"Like--like you 'like' Katara. Something like that, I think."

"Oh." Aang was suddenly finding the odd mushrooms growing near his feet very interesting.

"Yeah, something like that. You know, maybe it's my fault."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, he--Sokka was really the first _guy_ that really ever got to meet outside of the arena. My parents never really let me go out much, spirits forbid with an actual _boy_." She let out a dry chuckle, "When I first joined your group, he seemed like the most normal of the group," This earned a snort from Aang, "Alright, alright, the least crazy, at least. Sure his sense of humor wasn't up to much, but he tried. And he always took my side whenever Katara was going off on me." Another chuckle, "Funny, isn't it, how people grow on you? I--I guess he wasn't the same though. I thought that he would at least know how I felt, but I guess I thought wrong." The bitterness in her voice surprised Aang, drawing his attention away from the mushrooms to look at the girl's back.

"Toph, don't beat yourself up. Come on, I know stuff like this can be hard, " an image of Meng floated before him, "But you have to just pick yourself up and move on."

"Easy for you to say, Twinkle-Toes, you've got Sugar Queen. And before you say anything," she said, raising a hand, "she feels the same way, she's just too...too _Katara_ to tell you." She put her hand back down, "and right now, I don't really _want _to just 'move on.' I want to pound his face in, honestly."

"Umm, okay, maybe try taking your anger out on something else?"

"Like what?"

"Like, let's have an Earthbending match!"

Toph sighed, then slowly got up before taking a listless ready stance, "Come on, let's go."

"Umm, Toph--"

"I said _let's go, pudding-brain! If I had wanted to just talk I would have stayed on the ground!"_ Grinning, Aang set up opposite the Earthbender.

Twenty minutes later, both combatants had completely spent their energy, and the surroundings had been completely remade. The green light from the canopy now filtered through a layer of dust, outlining the sunbeams as they slashed down to the ground. Among the stone and dark, moist earth thrown about, the faintest hints of green could still be seen, refusing to give up even under the combined onslaught of the two Earthbenders. Outside the ring of destruction, the deep green walls of vegetation pressed in, hoping to reclaim the area as their own.

Aang finished describing the scene to Toph, as she continued fiddling with several small stones in her palm. "Feel better?" He asked her.

"A little. Enough to go back to camp maybe."

"Excellent! Should we let Sokka out on the way back?"

She snorted, "_You _can, if you want. _I'll _just bury him again."

"Fair enough."

* * *

"You called me, Father?"

"Yes, Azula. I called you here because I have reason to believe you lied to me."

"Oh, so Zuzu told you about my switch? I knew he would, he really doesn't care about his honor, does he? He's so obsessed with "right and wrong" these days, I'm surprised he hasn't either broken Uncle out of jail or killed himself yet."

"That will be _enough_, Azula. And while your brother claimed the lie, he didn't confirm the truth behind his words. You did, just now. Now, if you could hold your tongue for a moment, I wish to speak."

"Y-yes, Father."

"Your brother is apparently far more honorable than you have ever been. He has done nothing to ever purposefully harm this nation, unlike yourself, who have brought in elite Earth Kingdom soldiers to use as a personal army, as well as lying to me about the Avatar!"

"Fine, I'll admit it, Zuko was worried sick that you wouldn't give him his honor back unless he was the one who actually killed the pest. Frankly, I didn't care one way or the other, and at any rate he _did _help, so I thought I would offer the friendly gesture as a sort of "welcome home" present. I had no idea he would get so worked up over it."

"I seem to remember asking you to hold your tongue, girl. So, you thought you could play Zuko's desire for my respect and attention to your own advantage. He told me that you had planned a fail-safe, that in accepting your version of events, he left himself open should the Avatar ever reveal himself again."

"Really, Father, do you think the Avatar is alive as well? I hit him in the back with lightning, I watched him fall, I felt his heat begin to die before he hit the ground, _he is dead!"_

"No, he isn't. And you are a liar and a traitor."

"Traitor? but Father, I--"

"You sought to do great harm to you brother, do not think I have not seen it. I heard reports once, several months ago, that you had very nearly _killed_ Zuko with a bolt of lightning. Zuko, your brother! I heard that, had Iroh not been there, you would have succeeded! What am I supposed to think of a daughter who places her own ambitions before that of her own family? What am I supposed to believe about her abilities as a fit ruler of a nation?"

"Father, I--"

"Do _not_ fail me again, Azula. I have worked far too long and far too hard keeping this family strong and stable, and I will _not_ have you destroying my work with a few thoughtless actions!"

"'Strong and stable'? We haven't been strong and stable since you drove Mom away, and everyone in the Palace knows it!"

"Father, Father I didn't mean..."

"Remove your armor, Azula."

"Father--"

"_Obey me!_ _Remove your armor!_"

_clang, clatter_

"Now what, Father?"

"You will learn to respect your family, your nation, and your Fire Lord."

"Father? Father--wait, Father, no! You can't, you--_Daddy, please!"_

Kojima shut his eyes, but the flames spilled through anyway, and he couldn't do anything to drown out the scream. He turned, helplessly listening as the man he had sworn his loyalty to enveloped the Princess in flame. Eventually, the roar faded until the flickering and popping of the slow-burning oil had reclaimed the room. That and the stuttering moan that now seemed to penetrate every corner within the spacious chamber.

"Guards, remove her."

Refusing to look beyond his hands, he helped Dasi as they placed her arms over their shoulders and carefully carried the girl from her Father's sight.

**Well, okay, so that was kinda dark, but you _were _warned! And no, there are no concrete 'ships yet, beyond Ty Lee and Akira and hints at Maiko. Trust me, I (kinda) know what I'm doing, and the plot has in face been planned out up through the end of the war, and then a little bit beyond. Yes, I know I said I wouldn't be going off the shows, but so much awesome stuff has happened this season that I can't help it. So, Sokka WILL have his meteor sword, and he WILL know how to use it. Also, Katara WILL be a bloodbender, although I am going to tweak how the show limits it a bit, since I'd like to think Katara's a much more powerful bender than Hama. As a final note, I may end up loading the next chapter soon, since it doesn't look like we'll have class tomorrow either. So, until then, see ya!**

**God is still the source of all talent--NullChronicler**


	13. Building the Wire

**Hey everybody! Welcome to another wonderful chapter of Walking a Wire. For all three of you who've been waiting for something Ty Lee-ish and fluffy, here ya go, and look for a bit more in an upcoming chapter. In other news, I would like to formally thank Star Wars: Republic Commando for giving me the inspiration in Kal Skirata for Seargent Ling. Good ol' _Kal'buir_. Well, here's the chapter, and I still don't own Avatar, unless you count the DVD's, in which case I do!**

**Chapter XIII: Building the Wire**

The calico ball of fur purred happily from its spot in his lap, as the ferry pushed along in the waves. The ferry was deserted save the two teenagers, and Akira was enjoying the peace and quiet immensely. Looking over at the railing, he caught Ty Lee staring at him before she hurriedly resumed gazing out to the sea. Placing the armadillo-kitten on the cushion next to the bench, he walked over to stand beside her at the edge of the small deck.

"Third time I caught you." He turned grinning to the acrobat, who's face was suddenly crimson, "Am I really that interesting?"

"It--um, yeah I just thought I'd check to make sure Aidyn was okay!" Ty Lee rushed over to where the armadillo-kitten lay curled up, as Akira snorted and turned back to sea. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the spray the ferry and wind were kicking up across his face and the warm sunlight slanting across the water. He suddenly felt a shift in the heat around him, and a moment's searching showed Ty Lee approaching from behind. Her heat was familiar, comforting almost, but the hand on his back was unexpected. He felt himself jump about a foot in the air before forcing himself to relax. _Just relax, nothing's going to happen, Ty Lee would never do anything._

_She's not Nei_.

"Jumpy?" The acrobat asked with a smile, reclaiming her spot next to him with a mischevious smile. She had traded in her usual outfit for the trip, replacing the fitted performer's outfit she wore everywhere with a loose, pale pink camisole and pastel green pants tied off at the calves. Her hair had also been rearranged, the braid being fastened in a loop at the back of her head instead of hanging down her back.

"Uh, no. Well, maybe a little, yeah." He forced his eyes back out onto the blinding blue of the ocean waves, feeling his own face flush. _Agni, why can't I keep control?_ He thought of returning to his spot next to the cat, when he felt her hand rest over the scars on his arm. Startled into looking back over at the girl, he saw she had returned to watching the waves. _She's so calm, even after all the stuff she's been through. She's not a soldier, not yet anyway. Agni, that I could, just for five minutes, be that carefree._

"So, who's staring now?" Ty Lee's smile pulled him from his reverie, and as he stuttered in search of a response, his brain unhelpfully decided to shut down. The only half-intelligent sentiment he managed to get out was, "Uh, I, it's just, you look nice, that's all."

"Oh." Her smile was maddening, before she leaned up to an inch in front of his face, "You don't look half-bad either."

"I, uh, hey isn't that Ember Island?" he pointed out across the waves, where sure enough a small mountainous mass was coming close enough to make out individuals walking the beaches and splashing in the water. Turning her head, her face lit up with a beaming smile as she ran over to scoop up Aidyn and make for the ship's exit. Akira let out a breath of relief, _that was entirely too close. Although...ah, shut it._

"Welcome Captain, to Ember Island. I will guide the two of you to your accommodations for the week." The man bowed before turning and walking up a path between two of the beach-front mansions.

"Thank you, I'm curious to see where I'm supposed to be staying. And, sir?"

"Yes, Captain Hideyoshi?"

_Well, why not? _"While I'm on the island, please, it's just Akira."

"Yes, C--Akira."

They walked on, neither noticing the small smile that lingered on Ty Lee's face.

* * *

"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again, sir."

"Please, Kojima, there's no need for 'sir,' I'm retired."

"It feels uncomfortable to not use it, sir, but I'll try."

"Well, you can call me whatever you want, I've probably answered to worse at some point."

"Okay. Uh, sir, a question?"

"Go ahead, son, like I said I'm retired. You don't need to ask permission, and at any rate you would outrank me, so you still don't need to ask."

"Uh, okay, sir. Sir, I was wondering, why haven't you contacted us at all? Agni knows we would have loved to see you again."

"Well, if you want to know, two reasons, really."

"Sir?"

"The first, I figured you boys needed some time on your own, without me pestering you all the time. You need to figure out some things on your own."

"Understood, sir. I can see your point, actually."

"The second, well that's a bit harder. I'm sure you've noticed that this home is built for more than one."

"Yes sir. There were two chairs pushed to the table when we entered, along with more dishes in the wash-basin than you ever would have allowed had you lived here alone. Also, you don't wear shoes that small."

"Observant as always, Kojima. Now, can you tell me anything else about this person?"

"Sir? Umm, this is conjecture, sir, but I would say that based on the layout of the room, it is someone who places comfort and functionality on an equal level--"

"Yes, yes, go on."

"Okay, well the material indicates a modest level of frivolity in spending, as well as an slight interest in appearances."

"Good, you're hitting the mark so far."

"Well, uh, the note on the table here, it's obviously not your handwriting, but the strokes are light, yet deliberate, judging from the amount of ink and the way the marks don't taper as much as they would had the writer been going quickly. Someone with a light hand, and...calligraphy lessons?"

"Alright, son, I think you have enough information to get a take a pretty good guess. Who's the other occupant in this house?"

"It's--It's a woman, sir."

"Exactly, and that's the second reason why I haven't so much as tried to get in touch with you boys. Maybe it took retiring from the army and getting a real job to see it, but--"

"Sir?"

"I was wrong, son. All those speeches I made, about the different kinds of knowledge and such, I was wrong."

"Sir, I'm sorry, but I don't see where you were wrong. You're teaching has helped us survive and thrive. Blast it, sir, the Wolves are best Guard unit outside of Dragon Force and everyone knows it!"

"Dragon Force?"

"Gold Unit, sir."

"Ah, I see. Kojima, understand, when I finished you as soldiers, I tried to strip away all distractions that might impair you from doing your job. Back then, I counted emotions as distractions as well, barriers that would prevent you from acting in the best interest of the unit and nation."

"But sir, don't you remember? You also warned us against closing down completely, you told us certain emotions had their place, that you could use them and still remain in control."

"Right, almost forgot about that. Well, that's another point I want to contest. I said 'certain' emotions, well I'm going to tell you that I've spent the last year and a half in a complete emotional hurricane. You want to know the woman who's shoes those are? My wife. You heard me right, son, I'm married, and she's five months along. 'Certain' emotions doesn't cut it. Every blasted one of those emotions knocking around in that head of yours has a use, soldier, and I don't go a _day_ without wishing I had been smart enough to tell that to you boys. Jealousy, grief, love, all the crazy little illogical impulses that go through your head every day _make you human_, and I don't care if you're the perfect soldiers in every way, if you lose your humanity in the bargain, you've lost the one thing that's more valuable than anything else on this planet."

"Sir, but if what you're saying is true, where do we find a compromise? From what I can see, we can't be both killers and humans. There has to be some kind of line somewhere."

"You're right, there does have to be a line somewhere. Only one problem--that line is different for each person. That line is the point where you can do your job, to the full of your abilities, and still manage to pull yourself back from the edge. As near as I know how to describe, it's like walking a thin wire strung above a bottomless pit. Stray too far one way, you slow down, get sloppy, start making irrational decisions that get yourself or a squadmate killed. Go the other way, and you're no better than an animal that's been trained to kill on command. That's the challenge, and being a Firebender sure doesn't help matters. That animal, that potential to do massive damage with a simple hand gesture, is always there. That's our curse, son, and it's why we strive for control in our lives above all else. If you lose control, lose balance, you can lose everything."

"Sir, I--I don't--"

"Don't worry, son. You don't have to say anything, and if you think I'm raving mad, I won't blame you. Agni, some days I think _I'm _raving mad. But then, I look at my wife, and I realize that, for the first time, I'm _sane_. Speaking of which, she's coming in the door."

"What? I'm what? Oh, hello! Who is this, dear?"

"First Lieutenant Kojima Toriyama, meet my wife Ashani Mertun. Ashani, Kojima."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant."

"Uh, please ma'am, Kojima will be fine."

"Well, it's good to meet you, Kojima. Ling, you're going to have to talk to that merchant again, he's being completely unreasonable whenever I ask for his produce."

"I'll get on it tomorrow, I swear if that man doesn't listen..."

"Uh, sir? I should be going now, I'm expected to be back at my post soon."

"Alright, I'll see you out."

"Thank you, sir. Umm, sir, your wife, is she--"

"Hmm?"

"Well, I thought, I mean, how did--can she--?"

"Yes, she is, and yes, she can, although she's never had a real teacher, so it's hard for her. How did you know?"

"Eye color, no one else has those eyes."

"I'm impressed, no one ever notices the eyes, guess that's why they've survived for so long."

"They, sir?"

"There's more than you would think, Kojima. A lot more, and they're all over, not just here. Hidden in plain sight, although I've heard stories of a large, well I don't know what you would call it, a city I guess, underneath one of the old citadels. Other than that, I can't tell you any more."

"Can't?"

"Won't. One good purge, and not even the Lotus will be able to save them. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good lad, now get back to wherever it is you're posted, and send Akira to me when you can, okay? I think a good talk with our young Captain is long overdue"

"Got it, sir!"

**Anyone who can correctly guess the color of Ashani's eyes will get a huge treasure. Well, not really, but you can pretend, can't you? Be warned, this little excursion to Ember Island is the last moment of complete calm you're going to see for a while, so you might want to start looking for the seat belt now. And, with that tantalizing note, I'm off! NullChronicler**

**"God is the source of all talent, we just get it on loan."**


	14. The First Day on Ember Island

**Hey y'all! It's the newest chapter of Walking a Wire, and I gotta say, either these chapters are getting crazier or I am. Well, I did warn you to get a seat belt. After finishing my Math final, I had to do something to avoid going crazy from nerves, so I hashed out the rough draft for this about eight, and finished it about three-thirty this morning. Just thought I would let you know that, yes there might be spelling/grammar errors, but hopefully I'll catch them this weekend when I get out on break and have all the time I could ever want to proofread.**

**Still no ownage of Avatar beyond the DVD's, and with that out of the way, here's the chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter XIV: The First Day on Ember Island**

Akira felt the first rays of the sun hit him in the eyes as he struggled back to consciousness. The nightmares had come back, although not as bad as before. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, all he could remember was swimming, and a storm, and having to make a choice. He frowned, _seems familiar, like it's one I have a lot. Does it mean something?_ Banishing the thoughts to their place in the back of his mind, he began stretching out the soreness in his limbs, then noticed that there wasn't any. _A good bed and a day of no work, I feel like I should still be dreaming. _Stepping out into the shared living room, he was completely unsurprised to find Ty Lee in a one-armed handstand on a low table, her face scrunched in concentration as she wavered in place. What was surprising was her clothing, consisting of a pale pink two-piece suit shot through with deeper reds and even some purple, with the short skirt cut into layers of color. Under normal circumstances, it would have been distracting, and given her current position..._Agni blast it! I need to get out of here, now. Where's breakfast?_ Noticing a small tray of fruit sitting on the table, he watched as she switched arms, grabbing an apple as she changed and causing a small tremor to go through the room as her weight came down on the table once more.

Taking a bite from the apple, she seemed to notice him for the first time, "Good morning!" she called out, or at least that's what he assumed she said--her mouth was so full of apple that it was hard to be sure. Vaulting herself off the table, she landed directly in front of him, and threw him a wide smile, "You're up early!"

"I rise with the sun." he said simply. She grinned and threw herself backward onto one of the couches and sinking into the cushions. "Why, dare I ask, are you dressed like that?"

She glanced down at the swimsuit, blank confusion registering on her face. Looking back up at Akira, comprehension dawned, "Oh of course, I didn't tell you! We're going to the beach today!"

Akira felt his jaw drop several feet. Finally, he managed to get out, "What?"

"The. Beach. We're going after you get something to eat, alright?" Trying to think of something to say, he grabbed a piece of fruit and took a large bite. The taste nearly turned his mouth over, the fruit was so sour. Shuddering from the sensation, he looked over at the acrobat with a finger pointed at the fruit in his hand, "What in blazes do you call this?"

"Umm, I dunno, but I don't think you're supposed to take big bites."

"No kidding." He looked down at the little fruit again, before taking a careful chunk out. _Really isn't that bad if you don't inhale the blasted thing. Hey, I actually like this!_ Looking over the tray, he grabbed another that looked similar to the one he was holding, and headed back towards his room, "I'll be out in a second, just need to grab something to wear."

As soon as he shut the door, his mind began arguing again. He tried shutting it out, then settled for ignoring it as he hunted through his sparse belongings for something he could be seen in at this beach.

_This could be good, you'll get to see what people do here, and maybe you'll have fun._

_Don't make a fool of yourself, you're getting too close to losing it already._

_It's going to be fine, I know what I'm doing._

_Really? So, that moment in the other room was _completely_ under control, hmm?_

_That was...different. I was surprised, she was...distracting._

_You have to stay in control. For everyone's sake. Besides, she's going to wonder why you won't take the robe off._

_I'll figure that out later, she's waiting._

Leaving his room, the fruit clamped firmly in his mouth as he used his hands to tie back his hair, he had taken only two steps before he groaned. "Shoes."

"Come on, you won't need them anyway. The beach is just right down there." Pointing across the small balcony, Akira saw she had a point--the sand began barely forty paces from the door to the small house where they were staying.

Walking out from the shadow of the houses, Akira felt the sun hit him full force, and the rush of energy was almost too much to contain. Grinning like an idiot, he easily kept up with Ty Lee as she quickly crossed the beach. Finding a spot near a small tidal pool, she shrugged off the small bag she had brought. Digging around, she finally emerged with a beach towel and began meticulously flattening it out along the ground. Akira took his own towel from where it was slung around his shoulders and lay it next to hers, not being quite as fussy with the state of wrinkles. Still looking for some way to burn off the massive influx of energy, he scanned the beach. Suddenly, his eyes locked on something a ways down the beach, and his lips curled into a grin that some would call evil. Ty Lee saw the change and grinned in return when she saw the object of fixation, an impish grin that boded ill for anyone foolish enough to cross the young gymnast.

"Who are you two?" The captain of the volleyball team asked them as they stepped up to the ring dug into the sand.

"I'm Ty Lee, and this is Akira. We were wondering if we could play a game." The other teen gave the two new arrivals a once-over. Then he stopped, and looked again. The girl was athletic, no doubt about it. The other one's robe hid most of his body, but he carried himself with a kind of energy that was almost frightening.

"Well, if you're absolutely sure, I guess we could set something up. Doubles match?" He called back to the pair, as he walked over to his team. Recieving a nod from the girl, he smirked--toasting newbies was the best part of the job, and impressing the girl in the bargain couldn't hurt. The boyfriend could be a problem, but Chen didn't care. His dad practically owned half the island--there was nothing either his money or prestige couldn't buy.

Setting up on the other side of the net, Akira noticed the questioning look he was getting from Ty Lee.

"I'll be fine, I just want to keep this on for now." He saw her shrug from the corner of his vision as he waited for the captain to serve. _I don't like the kid, his body language is too arrogant. Maybe this oughta take him down a few pegs._ He watched as the ball came down, saw the muscles tense as the boy prepared to serve, and smirked as he picked apart the opposing team's set up before a hand touched the ball. _This'll be just like those games that Ling had us play in training._

Twenty minutes later, the other team threw up their hands in defeat. Except for a lone score brought about by Akira's robe getting in the way, everything they threw at the pair was thrown back with double the force. Ty Lee had made some amazing saves, using the net and support posts themselves as springboards on more than one occasion. Akira particularly enjoyed the look of confusion on the captain's face when a seemingly perfect strike was popped up at the last second by Akira's foot, only to be slammed into his face by the acrobat's hip.

"So, now that we've destroyed that nice boy's pride, what do you want to do next?" Akira snorted at the mention of the boy, who they learned was named Chen, as being _nice_.

"I don't know actually. I'm planning on lying down for a second, I'm completely exhausted." As he reached their towels, he collapsed onto his, letting his head flop back onto the cool sand.

"You sure you don't want to go swimming?"

_Swimming. I could, but then--_

_But then you would have to take off the robe, and then--_

_Yes, I know._

"Uh, not right now. Maybe, uh, later, is that alright?"

"Of course, we've got all day!" She flopped down on her own towel, pushing herself up on her arms and popping her back. _Agni, is she even aware of what she's doing? I bet she just gave several people a heart attack._ Clamping down on his own mind, he tried to begin the concentration sequences Seargent Ling had taught them. _Breathe in, hold, breath out completely. Breath in deeper, hold, breath out again, hold. _That held him for about two minutes, until he became painfully aware of someone leaning over him. Opening his eyes, he wasn't remotely surprised to find himself staring into Ty Lee's brown eyes, now set in a quizzical expression. "Whatcha doing?"

"Breathing exercises. They helped us focus and get our heart rate back under control after hard physical exertion. Also, they calm the nerves."

"Oh? And why would you need to calm your nerves?" She leaned in again, an impish grin securely on her face, "Was the game really that intense?"

"You know full well why." Akira replied, letting his eyes fall shut, "And you're immensely enjoying tormenting me, aren't you?"

"Tormenting?" The open confusion in Ty Lee's voice made him reopen his eyes to see it mirrored on her face.

"Nevermind, I was exaggerating." _But am I really?_ he thought somewhat dejectedly.

The morning dragged on, and at one point Ty Lee had to shake him awake before they could get lunch from one of the vendors along the beach. As they walked over to the vendor, Akira silently cursed--he didn't even remember falling asleep. To add insult to injury, he had rolled over in his sleep and covered half of his face in sand.

"So, are you ready to swim yet?" Akira silently groaned. He was running out of excuses to put her off, and by now was feeling a dread certainty that, eventually, she would physically _make_ hiim take the robe off and get in the water.

"I, uh, it's--look, just not today, okay? We have all week, and I want to take it easy the first day."

"Alright, but you're missing out. At least take that robe off, you're going to tan funny."

"Ty Lee, in case you haven't noticed--"

"Don't worry, I noticed." She leaned up to whisper, "and so has every girl that's seen you all day." She returned to walking normally, with an odd look on her face, "your skin's naturally darker than everyone else's, so you have this, I don't know, _exotic charm_, I guess."

"Let's, uh, talk about something else shall we? I'm, uh, kinda not used to people talking about...that." _She thinks I look good? Wait, why is she bringing this up now? Great, finest training the Fire Nation can provide, and I have no idea how to respond to this._ They reached the vendor, and after some complaints about the price of food they walked away with some kind of meat and vegetable combination on a stick.

"I dunno, it still needs something." Akira said, chewing thoughtfully. Holding out his hand, blue flames consumed the food, leaving it looking slightly withered from the heat. After taking a bite, however, Akira's face lit up. "Perfect. Whatever this stuff is, it makes some blasted good jerky. What?" Ty Lee had a half amused, half nauseous look on her face.

"Oh nothing, it's just, well, how can you eat that? I mean, it's all burnt and everything, the vegetables don't even look like vegetables anymore."

"To each his own. I happen to love it." Akira grinned as he took another piece of meat. "Are there any good restaurants on the island?"

"You're eating lunch and already thinking about supper?"

"I'm a soldier, we're always looking for another meal." Akira laughed at the look on the acrobat's face, and unfortunately didn't see the leg until he had already tripped over it.

"Hey, watch where you're going, lizard-brain!" The shout came from a young man laying on the sand, apparantly in the middle of a conversation with a sunbathing girl.

"Sorry, I'll pay more attention next time." As he walked off, he heard the boy resume the conversation.

"So, like I was saying, I happen to have quite a few battles under my belt already."

"Oh, really? Oh, that sounds dangerous!"

"Yeah, well, we soldiers somehow manage to make it through." Akira let out an irritated growl. _Stupid recruit, shooting off your mouth to the locals. It's gonna get you in hot water someday, and if I wasn't making a conscious effort to stay calm and relaxed, I'd put you there myself._

"I'll bet you didn't know this, but I was at some of the worst battles in the whole Earth Kingdom. You ever hear of the Battle of Three Pillars?"

Akira stopped dead. _The Battle of Three Pillars? He couldn't have been there, could he? If he's just making stuff up..._ With another low growl, he turned and walked back to the boy.

"So what unit were you a part of?"

"Huh?" The boy looked almost offended at having his conversation interrupted yet again. "What are you talking about?"

"What unit were you attached to? If you were at Three Pillars, surely you must remember the unit you served under, it was a pretty memorable battle."

"Uh, yeah, of course I remember!" A nervous glance at the girl next to him, "I was with the, uh, the--"

"Erccha Company? They went through the worst of the fighting."

"Yeah, Erccha Company! That's the one! Yeah, it was really tough out there, but we really gave those Earthbenders the pounding of their lives! You, uh, another soldier?"

By way of answer, Akira grabbed the boy's shell necklace, hauling him up to where they were standing nose to nose, "Hey! What in Agni's blessed name are you doing, who are you, you--uh, you--"

"For your information, _lizard-brain_, Erccha Company _doesn't exist anymore_. Do you know why? _Every blasted one of them was killed by an Earth Kingdom ambush_. That ambush turned the battle from a near victory to a complete rout and has ended all Fire Nation expansion into the area. Also, not that you would care, but I lost a _friend _to that battle. You want to know who I am, _civilian?_ Captain Akira Hideyoshi, leader of the High Guard White Unit, and I would like to remind you, impersonating a soldier is a crime on the mainland punishable by six weeks in prison. _Do I make myself clear, civilian?_" The last was spoken in a whisper, but the boy looked as though he was close to fainting anyway. Finished, Akira threw the boy to the sand, where he simply curled into a shaking ball. Akira pushed himself blindly through the crowd that had gathered, seeking only solitude. Turning from the room, he made his way down the beach, heading away from the well-trod sand and surf. _Well, congratulations, how long did that take, half a day?_

_Shut up, I don't want to deal with this right now._

_But you're the reason you have to deal with this! You chose to...to attack that poor kid!_

_He deserved it! I am _not_ going to let him sit there and insult Soru's memory!_

_But did you have to do it like that? What's wrong with you, are you trying to make people hate you? Good luck on ever getting back on that beach!_

_Just shut up, I said I don't want to deal with it!_

_You're going to have to deal with it for the rest of your life! Face it, this is who you are! The cold, violent soldier who just can't seem to wear the porcelain mask as well as the others. And now that she's seen the real you, good luck on even staying the same _room

"_Shut up!_" He felt the air around him crack with the force of the outburst, and he found himself kneeling in a circle of glass. Drawing a shuddering breath, he stood shakily to survey the damage. Stones the size of a small komodo rhino lay cracked and smoking around him, and his foot crunched through the layer of glass with a sharp stab of pain. Gritting his teeth, he made his way from the destruction over to a rock facing the sea. Turning up his foot, he saw several small shards glittering in the heel and along the arch of his foot. Letting out a sharp exhale, he began withdrawing the fragments before they could be ground in further. The work was tedious, and by the time he was sure the last one was out, the sun was beginning to sink into the horizon.

"I saw you head off this way, didn't think you would be _this_ far out." _Oh, well this is just perfect. Well, let's get this massacre over with_. He shifted, looking out the side of his vision to watch Ty Lee picking her way around the glassed sand.

"I didn't figure that anyone would actually _come_ this far out. Guess I was wrong."

"Akira, why did you leave like that?" Ty Lee sat down on one of the cracked rocks behind him. Her familiar heat signature amid the violently rearranged scene was disturbing for some reason.

"Why? Didn't you see the kid crying on the beach? I terrorized him, scared the poor kid senseless. I thought you would understand."

"Understand what?"

"Understand me, what I am now, what I've become."

"And just what _have_ you become? A leader who cares how people see those he leads? A friend who's not going to sit around and let someone insult the memory of someone you cared about?"

"I'm a soldier, Ty Lee, and not just a soldier but a High Guard. We're the cold-hearted killers they call in when ordinary soldiers just can't cut it. I've leveled an Earth Kingdom fortress single-handedly, Ty Lee. Do you think an ordinary human being could have done that?"

"No, of course not."

"Then you see the point. We're not men, Ty Lee, not anymore. We're walking weapons, and when our fuel or ammunition or whatever it is runs out, we're discarded."

"_Stop! Just stop talking like that!_" The outburst finally made him turn and look at her, to see her chocolate eyes shining in the fading sunlight.

"Stop talking like your expendable, like your not human! Is this--is this how you really feel?" Akira mutely nodded, "That's ridiculous! Who put all these completely stupid ideas in your head?"

"Nei. He was the one who told us all that. He made sure we understood what it meant to be a soldier, and--and he was right, Ty Lee. Now just listen for a minute." He held up a hand to stop her coming comment, "I know that you won't agree, but--he was right. Seargent Ling told us a lot of good stuff, and there were times when he told us to forget stuff that Nei had taught us, but--but he never even talked about that part. He knew that _we_ knew who we were, what we were, and he never changed it."

"I--this--why?"

"Nei made sure it was drilled into our heads. In my case, it apparantly wasn't enough."

"What--?"

"I forgot what I was. I let go of control and let my emotions guide my hand, and I...regretted it."

"The--the servant woman?"

"The servant woman." He nodded. The memory was burned into his mind, every detail perfect down through the intervening years.

They--he and Ty Lee--had been on their usual runs through the city, jumping the rooftops and chasing each other down the side streets. He remembers that Ty Lee was the one to notice--maybe she was just more attuned to that kind of stuff. The woman was being harrassed by a group of soldiers, and it was quickly getting out of hand. Two of the soldiers grabbed and pinned the woman against the wall, while a third was waving a small flame in front of her face. The woman had been crying, pleading with the men to let her go. Ty Lee had decided to do something. A soldier standing guard was instantly down on the ground, barely having time to feel the girl latch onto his shoulder as she flipped over him. The other guard turned as the man hit the ground, but hadn't been fast enough to avoid paralysis courtesy of Ty Lee's practiced strikes. The three men dealing with the woman had noticed then, and were just turning when one dropped to the ground, his helmet dented by the fist-sized chunk of brick that Akira had hurled at him. The soldiers fought back then, really fought, but they had been outmatched from the beginning. His Rank Guard training almost complete, Akira went through the men like a lightning strike through kindling. The woman, of course, had been gushing apologies and gratuities, but before much could be said beyond a simple, "You're welcome." Nei had been there. Surveying the downed men, his gaze found Akira standing in the middle of the street, and before anyone quite knew what had happened, he was marching him up the street with a string of obscenities coming so fast as to be running them together.

"I remember, that was the last time I saw you until back on the ship. You sent the letter a few days later, didn't you?"

"I did, but--but I wasn't finished. After Nei took me back to the barracks, he--he reminded me of what he had told me after my bending demonstration. He had said, 'Step out of line like that one more time, and I will personally remove every inch of skin I can reach.' Something like that anyway."

"So what--what happened then?"

"He certainly gave it a Agni-damned good try." He unclasped the robe and let it slide off, and Ty Lee gasped.

**Yes, MAJOR cliffhanger here, but I didn't see how I could write it any other way, so sorry. Oh, and as for Akira's slight swearing, I couldn't think of anything else strong enough for the situation. He IS a soldier after all, and soldiers are not known for nice language in the best of situations.**

**In case you were wondering, I thought I might as well use Chen from The Beach, seeing as he has almost no other good use besides the arrogant-brat-who-needs-a-major-attitude-adjustment. Hope you liked this wild chapter, and I'll update as soon as I can, faithful readers!**

**God is still the source of all talent, I can only hope I'm using mine to the best of my abilities--NullChronicler**


	15. The Day Ends

****

Well, finals are over, the Christmas Break has officially started, and Walking a Wire has a new installment! Wow, thought I'd have this up faster, but some of the conversations in here were really hard to write. Thanks for the reviews I've recieved, although I still feel a little lonely when I see people with 157 reviews after eight chapters. Ah, what the heck, I'm havin' fun, so on with the show!

**Chapter XV: The Day Ends**

_"So what--what happened then?"_

_"He certainly gave it a Agni-damned good try." He unclasped the robe and let it slide off, and Ty Lee gasped._

Her first thought had been a question--why's he wearing that wrinkled leather thing? Then she realized that the wrinkled leather thing was _skin_. A haphazard grid of pale lines ran across the skin, reaching from the edge of the hair covering the back of his neck down to nearly meet the edge of his pants, and appearing to wrap around to his chest as well. The skin itself nearly made her sick. Even in the fading light, the grey-brown coloring was in striking contrast with the healthy tan on his arms and neck, and the once smooth layer had been puckered and withered by the solid layer of burnt flesh.

"You--he--Nei _did this_?" _Please say no, please say that most of this was from some childhood accident, some kind of bending accident or--_Akira slowly nodded, and Ty Lee had to close her eyes against the sight. _No one is this cruel, not even Azula would do something like this. This--how could someone think this was okay? _An image of Zuko at the fateful Agni Kai floated before her, _This is just like what Zuko had to go through from his own father. Why does this happen, what's wrong with people who do these things?_

"It didn't exactly go how he planned, though." Akira's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up again as he turned to her. "The day after he...did that, Kojima managed to get the story out of me during our morning training session." The sharp hiss from Ty Lee distracted him for a moment before he continued, "Well, to make a long story short, the Wolves were reprimanded for assaulting an officer. Only problem was, during the investigation, Nei's actions got out, and he was almost immediately thrown from the army, full military court-martial and everything." He dropped from the rock to lay back on the ground, "We never saw him again, and the next week Ling came and we finished our training under him, even though we weren't supposed to start training with him for another six months. He ended up staying with us until we made High Guard."

"So, Nei just vanished?"

"We have some guesses where he may be hiding, but if he decided to really go quiet, he could be any man in a hundred towns across the Fire Nation and Earth Colonies. We sort of got tired of looking after a while. Listen, I know that this," he pointed to his back, "Isn't--not--well, now you know why I didn't want to go swimming." He grinned weakly, only to recieve a sharp knock on the forehead, "What was that for?"

"For lying to me about why you couldn't swim." Her brief frown disappeared, "But now that we've got that out of the way, we can have fun swimming tomorrow!"

"Yeah, and in the process everyone will see this. Assuming they _let_ me back out there."

_You are being absolutely impossible, do you know that? _"On the second, no one's going to care. On the first, _no one's going to care_."

"Outwardly, yes. I'm a soldier, even out here I at least look like one, and they'll show me due respect. But--"

"But what? So they'll be shocked for a second, but I'm going to tell you right now it won't be because of you." She frowned again, more in irritation than anything else. _Why? Why do you care so much about this? How am I supposed to tell you that _it doesn't matter _to me or anyone else?_. "It'll be because every single person who sees you will wonder what kind of person would do this to a nice, brave, handsome--" _Oh spirits, did I just say that?_ She hurriedly tried restarting her statement, but was interrupted before she could get anything out.

"You really mean that? All of it?"

_Yes, I mean it! I've meant it for the last three years, but I never thought you would listen! _"Yes. I meant everything."

"Well," He laughed, "that's probably the closest anyone's come to calling me a self-absorbed cabbage-head since Kojima did it six months ago." Seeing Ty Lee's amused expression, he added, "Oh, come on, I could hear your tone of voice, you wanted to say it." He stood, shrugging the robe back on, "Anyways, it's getting cold and I want something more to eat than jerky on a stick."

"I know of a really good place in the village, but you have to promise that you'll go swimming tomorrow."

"Fine, it's a deal. We'll go swimming tomorrow." He turned back to face her, "Oh, and thanks."

"For what?"

"For not treating me like a soldier."

She walked up until they were nose to nose, grinning. _I love doing this, he gets so cute when he's uncomfortable like this._ "That's because under all that armor, you're a person, too. And," She flicked him on the forehead, "Don't forget it, or I'll have to remind you. Got it?"

"Got it, now can we eat?"

* * *

"Princess, you have visitors."

"Thank you for letting us in. Please leave us, I want this to be private."

"Very well, although I will need to return in an hour to see to those bandages." The door clicked softly on the doctor's exit. Zuko stood over his sister's bed, meeting her half-open eyes as she lay on the cot. Bandages wound around her torso, arms, and hands, and he assumed elsewhere but the blanket covered them. Oddly, only one small bandage covered a spot on her cheek, and her face was unblemished otherwise. "How--?"

"I covered my face, dum-dum. Basic self-defense, you would have done the same. Oh, hello Mai. Did Zu-Zu drag you in here as well?"

"I came because I was worried." The somber girl's voice was flat, although a trace of emotion could be seen in a twitch at her mouth. "You were burned by your own father, Azula. I was worried about you, okay?"

"What did you do, Azula? What could _you_, his _favorite_, possibly do to earn this? Was it the lie, did Father _finally_ catch you lying to his face after all these years of getting away with it?"

Azula closed her eyes for a moment, then half-opened them again and stared resolutely at the ceiling. "It wasn't the lie, at least that wasn't what finally caused it. I showed weakness, I thought I was safe and I took a stupid risk and I failed and now I'm paying for it."

"And the mistake, dare I ask?" Zuko prepared himslef for some epic tale of bloodshed and high treason, something that would explain such a violent reaction from Ozai against his openly favored child. It came as a shock, however, when Azula responded with a single sentence.

"I said it was his fault Mom left."

Zuko and Mai simply stared, dumbstruck, at the young royal as she turned her head away. Finally tiring of the ensuing silence, Zuko got up to leave, followed by a reluctant Mai. At the doorway, Mai turned and spoke to Azula.

"I don't know what you're doing, and I certainly don't know what's going on with your father, but I'd like to think we're friends, and if there's anything you need, I'll see what I can do."

The door clicked shut once more, leaving the princess alone. In the rapidly growing darkness within the room, a weak voice began murmering, gaining strength as the last of the light failed.

"Father hates weakness, he always has. He rewards people who are strong, who uphold their honor and duty no matter the cost. Zuko was weak when he discarded his honor for those pathetic fool soldiers, and he deserved what he got. I showed weakness, and Father punished it. I must be stronger than ever to win back Father's trust, Father's love. All sources of weakness have to be destroyed. I will not be weak, I will be strong. Stronger than Zuko, stronger than Father. I _will_ win. _I always win_."

* * *

"So, how is it?"

"Fantastic, although I still feel bad that they're letting us eat for free." Akira looked down at his half-eaten plate of, well, _something_ good, and the bowl of what he had learned was called ryme-fruit. Ty Lee giggled from across the table, nursing a glass of some bluish liquid.

"Well, I don't. I mean, it _was_ their choice to do it, not because of us asking or anything. I think it was reallly nice of them."

"Well, at any rate, the food's good, and this view is great." He gestured out across the small balcony to where the full moon was rising over the ocean, washing the sand and trees in the pale light.

"I'm glad you brought me to the island, I can barely remember the last time I was here."

"Really? When was that?"

"I'm not sure, I think I was only five or six. My mom brought me and took my all over the island while my dad met with some important official or another. Like I said, I don't remember much." The conversation was cut short as two men approached the table. Akira eyed them suspiciously as Ty Lee beamed at the pair.

"You're the captain who confronted the boy on the beach?"

Akira slumped back in his seat, "Yes."

The taller of the men smiled, "Well, we'd like to say that we're proud of you."

"What?"

"You stood up for us, all of us in armor and uniform, when you took down that posturing fake." The shorter man spoke up, "And on behalf of the 504th, we'd like to thank you."

Akira's eyes widened, "You're Fivers?" The two men nodded, "I've heard stories about you guys, you're to the regular army what Dragon Force is to us! This is amazing, you're--wait, why are you on Ember Island? Shouldn't you be out in the field?"

The men shifted nervously, before the tall one spoke, "Umm, sir, if we could talk with you in private?"

Akira sighed, "Be back in a minute." The men led him away from the table to a nearly deserted corner of the restaurant. The shorter man cleared his throat quietly before speaking.

"Alright, sir, here's the story. Now, I'm sure you've been told about the solar eclipse coming in a few weeks." Akira nodded--it had been common knowledge for months now. "Well, the Fire Lord--his generals anyway--also know that this is the most likely time for an attack by resistance forces, as all fire-bending is rendered useless during the eclipse." Another nod. "Therefor, the Fire Lord has pulled the 504th back to the capital until after the eclipse to repel the near-certain invasion attempt. He's also pulled back a few others, but the 504th got back the soonest, and at any rate we're coming in the most force. The detachment from the 105th won't be here for another few days if I've got that right, and the 302th group got in just last night, so they're still getting settled in."

"And why were we unable to discuss this at the table?" Akira could just imagine Ty Lee's frustration at being left out, and pledged to tell her everything anyway.

"Well, here's the part that goes crooked. Thing is, we're not here just to defend against the invasion, we're here to stop a civil war. The population's tired of the war, even if we _are_ winning. They don't see the need anymore to keep fighting--we've got plenty of farmland and resources in the Earth Kingdom, and the factories over there could keep unemployment virtually nonexistant working at half capacity. And then," He leaned in, and lowered his voice so that Akira had to strain to make out the words, "well, then there's the debacle at the North Pole. Worst thing that could have happened, really. We lost how many ships? A hundred? Two? Neh, by last count, four-hundred and twelve cruiser-class or better are on the bottom right now with all hands still on board. And the accounts from the survivors place the blame on a water spirit. Oh, the people had a field day with that!" His voice was back to normal, and Akira could see the explosion coming, "Not a full year ago, the Avatar shows his face for the first time in a hundred years, and now _the bleeding spirits are seen opposing the Fire Nation! What are people supposed to think when the spirits rise against us?_"

"Calm down, Shin, you're going to get us thrown out." The taller man's words were true--many patrons had stopped eating to stare at the three soldiers at the table. "I'm sorry, my friend may be the better speaker, but he tends to get worked up over things. He'll be fine in a moment. Now listen, the reason we told you this wasn't to get you worrying, just to explain why we were here and why we had to be, well, _secretive_ about all this. Seriously, after Sozen's Comet reappears this whole nightmare will be over, and I expect a lot of us in uniform will get sent home to, well," He flashed a grin over the table, "_populate the colonies_, from what I hear. Now get back to your girl and food. If I know anything about you Guardsmen, you need a vacation more than _we_ do." Dragging Shin back down into his seat, the taller man waved Akira away.

"Sir? What's your name, sir?"

"Tachi. It was good talking with you, Captain Hideyoshi."

"You too, thank you." Akira made his way back over to the table, where Ty Lee immediately pinned him with a questioning look, "And just what did they have to say that was so secret?"

"I'll tell you back at the house, but for now all I can say is that the Home Islands aren't the great land of peace and happiness that we picture them to be. Now let's finish this before it goes cold."

* * *

"So, a civil war, huh?" Ty Lee slumped back into the couch, her face lost in concentration.

Akira let himself fall back into the cushions as well, "They did say that once Sozen's Comet arrives and the Fire Nation wins the war for good, the tension should settle a bit. Anyway, they said not to worry about it, that there would be plenty of soldiers staying around the Home Islands through the end of the war to stop anything that might come up."

"Sounds like you're out of work for the moment." Ty Lee grinned over at him.

"Frankly, I wouldn't mind having no work for a while, but that's not going to happen." He sighed and closed his eyes, "Even if the war _was_ over and done with, there would still be work for us. We're the elite High Guard, and the Wolves have made a name for themselves. If the Avatar comes back, we'll probably get sent on some wild chase to find him or her, and then there's the already healthy Earth Kingdom resistance movement within the larger cities. Even some of the outlying colony towns are borderline if a full on revolt broke out from Earth Kingdom residents. So, don't worry about work for us."

"So, after this--" Ty Lee gestured around them, "It's back to the frontlines?"

"Probably." Akira felt the girl shift on the cushions, "Although I doubt that any big assignments come up for a while. At any rate, I _really_ don't want to talk about work right now, all right?"

"Good, neither do I. Well, good night!"

"G'night." He felt Ty Lee get up, but then jerked upright as he felt something brush across his skin. Unfortunately, he only succeed in banging heads with the acrobat and was instantly back on the couch.

"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean--I mean, um, well, I--seeyouinthemorning!" With that she flipped over the furniture and left the room, leaving Akira to push himself up and slowly shuffle from the room, his eyes lost in thought, his hand absently rubbing the side of his face.


	16. A New Sun Rises

**Hello all! Before you yell at me, Christmas break was a lot more hectic than I thought it would be, and anyway this chapter was hard to write. Also, a belated credit for Aidyn's name goes to Zutarafanfairy. In her story Of Flames, Roses, and Gold, Aidyn is a discarded name proposed for Ty Lee's cat. With that said, let's get on with the show. Enjoy!**

**Chapter XVI: A New Sun Rises**

Akira jumped awake, hurriedly shutting his mouth against a scream. When he finally felt safe opening his mouth again, he collapsed backward onto the bed, breathing as hard as if he had just completed a Guard training session.

"You must change or destroy yourself." He whispered the words he remembered from the dream, and noted, with a pang of guilt, the smell of something burning. Sitting up, he waved out the fire smoldering in one of the walls, as well as one slowly eating its way across the ceiling. "This is getting dangerous, I'm going to _have _to tell someone." Pushing himself off the bed, he shrugged on a robe as he entered the living room. Once again, Ty Lee was balancing on the table, snatching fruit whenever she changed hands.

"You do that every morning?"

"Pretty much! It's good exercise, and anyway it's important to start each day with stretching to get out tension."

"You learned that from watching us, didn't you?"

"Of course!" She beamed at him from her position, and he bent down to grab a ryme-fruit.

"So, it's my fault that you're up this early every morning." Laughing, Ty Lee sprung from the table and landed in front of him. _By now I should be used to that,_ he thought, but he still tensed.

"So what do you want to do today?"

He grinned, watching her chocolate eyes dance across his face. "Today? Go swimming."

* * *

"I feel like everyone's staring at me." The sand shifted under his feet as the pair returned to their spot from yesterday. _Was it only yesterday? Feels like months ago._

"And why should that bother you?" Ty Lee continued to flatten the now imaginary wrinkles on the beach towel as Akira sat down on his.

"I keep wondering what they're thinking, what I must look like to them."

"Since when do you care what anybody thinks?" The acrobat looked up with an amused expression from her towel.

Akira snorted, "I don't! Well, except for--" he trailed off.

"Huh? Didn't catch that last part." Ty Lee's smile was becoming infectious, and Akira couldn't help but grinning in spite of himself.

"I said, except for certain people, like my friends."

"Oh, really? And who would that be?"

"The Wolves, Seargent Ling, and you, right now anyway."

"What do you mean, 'right now'?" Her grin had suddenly switched to a look of irritation bordering on anger, and Akira fumbled for a moment before finding his next remark.

"Well, what did you mean when you nearly knocked me out last night?"

"Excuse me? I seem to remember that was your fault for getting up. _You _hit _me_."

"And the_ reason _you happened to be that close? What did you mean by_ that_?" He got up from the towel and began walking to the water, "I'm going swimming."

"Huh? _Wait!_" He felt her heat flare as she scrambled to follow him, then he was in the water and she disappeared from his "sight". The water felt cool, but not cold as it passed over his skin, and he turned and watched the sun filter through the waves. _I've missed this, just being able to swim and relax. _Suddenly a shape blocked the sun, followed by an arm, and he found himself being hauled to the surface to face Ty Lee's glare.

"Do have any idea how long you were down there? You scared me half to death!"

"Relax, I wasn't in any real danger! Sorry though." he added, as he watched her expression darken.

"Well then, next time I _won't _worry, and I don't care if you're screaming for--_Aaaah!_" Akira let go of her arm once he had succeeded in dragging her under. Her wide eyes narrowed as she fought her way back to the surface, with Akira following.

"And _what_ was that?"

"Well, for starters, it was fun." He felt himself grinning uncontrollably as the acrobat's face slowly melted toward comprehending what he said.

A smile began creeping across her face as well, "Excuse me, but I _thought_ I heard you just say you did that for _fun_."

"You heard right, milady."

"Well, in that case..." Akira knew what was coming, but was still powerless to stop it as Ty Lee grabbed onto him and pulled both of them under the water.

The cerulean world spun as he tried to loosen the acrobat's grip, and a small place in his mind screamed _danger_, but Akira shrugged it off as the arms finally relented and she pushed off for the surface.

"You're right, that _was _fun!" Ty Lee was nearly laughing as he broke the surface a few feet away. Looking over at her, Akira suddenly remembered his unanswered question.

"You never told me what could have possibly made you get that close."

"Well, I--" She broke off with a nervous glance out over the water, "Hey, why don't we get back to the beach, I'm getting tired from treading water."

_Dang it._ "Alright, how about a race?"

"It's not far enough for a race, and anyway I would win."

"Really? Prove it!"

* * *

"You're sure of this?"

"Yes, your Highness. According to one of ours, it was a _female_ Yu-Yan that was involved in the attack at the factory, and we have reason to believe it was the same Yu-Yan who disrupted the dispersion at the market as well. I have spoken with the witness personally, and I trust his, er, observations. Are you sure--?"

"_I am sure._ My father does not need to be involved in this, especially at such a crucial time. The eclipse is approaching quickly, and there is too much for him to do as it is. Do you doubt my capability?"

"N-no! No, your Highness, I know the matter will be left in your most capable hands!"

"Good. Now get out."

"Yes, your Highness."

"One down. Enter and explain yourself."

"Yes, milady. Well, an investigation following the debriefing of a High Guardsman may have turned up the village that aided the Avatar."

"Go on."

"Yes, well, if the description of the Avatar's dress is to be believed, there are only two places that use a similar uniform. One is Douchi University, here in the city. The other is the school at Kishima."

"Kishima? I've never heard of it."

"It's on one of the outlying islands, milady, but it has gained a reputation for fine students."

"Well, since I _assume_ that you've already checked the University, why don't you send a team to Kishima to investigate the matter?"

"Of course, milady. What manner of team had you in mind, and when should they leave?"

"Are there any Guard Units stationed near Kishima?"

"Umm, the Red Amphibious Unit, I think. At least they were there two weeks ago."

"Check again. If they are, send a messenger hawk, and tell them to investigate. If there is _any_ evidence that this place aided the Avatar in entering the Fire Nation, I want an _appropriate_ response to the treachery."

"M-milady?"

"Agni, do I have to spell out _everything? Burn. It. To. The. Ground._ Is that simple enough for you? Now get out, I have more important matters to attend to."

"Y-yes, milady."

* * *

"Wow, that was just perfect!" Ty Lee pushed the door open, throwing a shaft of moonlight across the room. Akira just shook his head as he followed her into the house.

"Well, it was! Swimming, volleyball, and dancing on the beach, then that wonderful dinner and another dance, that was a perfect day!"

"Speak for yourself, I still can't feel my left leg after that last dance." Akira dropped into a chair after grabbing what looked like the last of the ryme-fruit, "At least we gave the people some show, huh?"

"I'll say! You've gotten a _lot_ better since last time!"

"So have you, judging by my leg." Absently massaging the limb, he jumped as Aidyn rolled across his foot. "Wondered where she'd gotten to. Keep her in your room?"

Ty Lee scooped up the armadillo-kitten, "Yep, but this morning I let her have run of the house. She's growing a lot faster than I expected!" Unceremoniously dropping Aidyn into Akira's lap, she stretched out on the couch, "Anyway, what are your grand plans for tomorrow?"

"Honestly, more of the same sounds good to me." Akira replied, rubbing Aidyn's fur. The armadillo-kitten happily rumbled under his hand, and for a long time that was the only sound in the room, as Akira studied the patterns on her back.

It was Ty Lee who broke the sentence, "Akira, does it ever bother you to..._end_ someone?"

"What?" Momentarily stunned by the question, he looked back down at the cat before carefully answering. "Whenever my work calls for that, I only allow myself to think of the target as just another enemy, and I block out anything else. When the situation comes to deadly force, hesitation can get you killed, so you do what you have to and keep moving. That answer your question?" He looked over to see Ty Lee slowly shaking her head.

"Not really. Sorry, I mean, do you feel anything afterward? I mean, that was a _person_, and--"

"Who and when?"

"Huh?" Ty Lee raised up from the couch with a confused look.

"Who was it, and when did you do it? Also, who was the aggressor?"

"It--it was a while back. Well, not really, but it was back before we had even gotten to Ba Sing Se. There was this group of warriors, a bunch of girls who were protecting this big animal-thing that belonged to the Avatar. Azula, well she decided that if we could get rid of the thing, hunting the Avatar would be that much easier. I think she just wanted a fight, she does that kind of stuff sometimes, just picking fights for something to do. Anyway, we ended up fighting them and even though the animal got away, Azula had the idea to use the girls' outfits to get into Ba Sing Se."

"Ah, so _that's_ how she managed. All of us have been wondering about the details since the coming-home announcement. So, was it one of those warriors you fought?"

Ty Lee nodded slightly, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. At first I was only knocking them down and stunning them, but then Azula and I think the leader or something really got into it, and the rest of them sort of got a boost or something. All of a sudden, it wasn't fun anymore, me and Mai were barely missing those short swords they had, and then a girl came at me with this sword and I--" She closed her eyes and dropped her head back on the couch. "I grabbed the hand she was holding the sword in, and I--I twisted, broke the wrist to where the sword was pointed back at her, we both fell against this tree and it--you know what, let's just forget this, okay? We shouldn't be talking about stuff like this on vacation!" She left the couch and crossed over to where Akira sat still rubbing Aidyn's fur. "You know, she's really cute when she's all rolled up like that. You know what, why don't you let her sleep in your room tonight, I'm sure she'd love a new place to explore!"

"Ty Lee, why do you listen to Azula?" He watched the acrobat stiffen as a run of emotions moved across her eyes.

"She's my friend."

"She's no one's friend. The girl isn't completely human."

"She's a human, same as you, and if you actually knew anything about her you'd know that she doesn't exactly have a perfect life either, okay?" The slamming door echoed around the room, and Aidyn uncurled with a sleepy scan of her surroundings. Seeing no sign of her "mother", she looked up at Akira with a plaintive mew.

"Yeah, me too, girl. Me too."

**Well, a few more pieces are falling into place. Sorry if the story stalled out here for a bit, but Ember Island was NOT supposed to take this long. Unfortunately, the universe just loves to prove me wrong, and here we are with three chapters about the place. But don't worry, next chapter we get back to the Capital, and the Wolves set out on a new mission.**


	17. Losing Balance

**Hello again, faithful readers! Man, this was a much easier chapter to write than the last one, although there _were_ some trouble spots that took a ridiculous amount of time to push through. At any rate, here is the newest installment in my wonderful tale Walking a Wire and thanks to all of you who have read and enjoyed it so far. 1200 people can't be wrong (I hope).**

**Enjoy! --NullChronicler--**

**Chapter XVII: Losing Balance**

The towering slope of the volcano marked their approaching destination as the ferry pushed back towards the capital. This time, Akira, Ty Lee, and Aidyn were joined by a young couple who couldn't have been far from Akira's own age. Luckily, the two seemed _far_ more interested in each other than their surroundings, although Akira was becoming annoyed by the pulsing heat signature in the corner of his "sight." Aidyn was proving extremely therapeutic--just scratching her fur worked as a kind of stress reliever, and her purring calmed his nerves. _Just how I started this, isn't it? Nervous and sure something was going to go wrong._ According to the island staff, something _had_, and it took almost all the money they had to repair his badly scorched room. He closed his eyes as he continued stroking the cat, and recalled effortlessly the two images that dominated his nightmares: drowning, unable to release his grip on the bodies dragging him down, and a bald old man with a ragged beard, lecturing him about something important that faded as he woke.

"So," Ty Lee gracefully dropped to the bench beside him, "What are we gonna do once we get back?" The exchange over Azula had been all but forgotten the next morning, but Akira felt that _something_ wasn't the same. _It's nothing major, but it feels...stiff, I guess. Like we're being nice because we have to._

"Well, I'm not sure about you, but I'm sure I'll go back to work somewhere, maybe back to guarding the Palace. It's a spell in a stone frigate, yeah, but without _someone_ doing the boring jobs, the rest wouldn't be able to function either." He leaned onto the deck railing, "I just hope they send us somewhere nice in the Earth Kingdom."

"What? _Why?_"

"Well, I mean--Look, we're happiest on the battlefield. It's comfortable there, everything makes sense, you don't have to worry about anything but your unit and your objective."

"So--so, you _weren't_ having fun back there?" Her thumb hooked back toward the receding island.

"No, no! I mean, yes I had fun! But..." He shrugged.

"But _what_?" The acrobat's voice had an unsettling edge to it.

"But it was _wrong. _I'm supposed to be out there helping my brothers while I'm stuck there on that island. I--Sorry, this is all coming out wrong, but--"

"Yeah, apparently! So, let me get this straight, you'd rather face the possibility of _death_ than hang out with me?" The couple on the side of the deck had finally broken apart to look over, and suddenly Akira fervently wished they would go back to what they had been doing. Meanwhile Ty Lee was pinning him to the deck with her eyes while he tried to think of anything that could possibly diffuse the situation.

"Look, you have to look at this from my point of view. I'm a soldier, and that means--"

"Means _what?_ Means that you can't just act normal and have fun for a week with a friend? You know, there _is_ a world outside your little squad, Akira! Why can't you just--"

"My duty is to the Wolves and my nation _first, _Ty Lee. _Everything_ else is second, and I _won't_ forsake my brothers for a _second_ unless directly ordered by a superior."

"Oh, so _that's_ why you went to Ember Island! Just because you got _ordered_ to take a vacation, and you thought you might as well bring me along? Was that all I was, a--a--_sparring partner?_ _Someone you could just use to make yourself feel like it wasn't a total week wasted?" _

"_Listen!_ Just _listen_ to me for a second!" You're not understanding, I"m not--"

"Apparently I _don't _understand! But then, of course I wouldn't, right? It's not like _I've_ ever had to--to do all that stuff like y-you do. _Of course_ in m-my perfect life I've _never_ had to d-do horrible stuff like, like _k-kill _someone! _Of course I don't understand!"_ Snatching the cat from Akira with a frightened meow, she stormed off to the far end of the deck, leaving Akira alone with the couple still staring couple.

"Why are you still staring at me?" Hurriedly the two turned away to watch the harbor slide from behind the edge of the capital island, as a dead silence reigned on the deck.

* * *

"Princess, Captain Hideyoshi has returned from Ember Island. The rest of White Unit are meeting him in the harbor now."

"And the naval unit?"

"They shall be arriving shortly as well, a few hours at most until they get here."

"Good. And the archer that I spoke to you about earlier?"

"Nothing concrete so far, although there _was _a suspicious disappearance last night."

"Tell me. _Now._"

"Y-yes, milady. Apparently, late last night the archer, whose name is Mina Sakomo, left the barracks and went...well, we're not sure. Our agents were only able to follow as far as the neighborhood to the east of Sozen's Arch. After that, she eluded us."

"Very well. When did she return?"

"Just before the garrison woke this morning. By the observation of our agents, she seems to have done this often. Milady, if I may..."

"Out with it, I'm in something of a rush this morning."

"Yes milady. Milady, why has the Red Naval Unit been recalled, instead of being directly sent to Kishima? They were only a few hours away where the messenger-hawk reached them."

"Why? I don't need to explain my actions to _you_, self-important as you are. Let's just say I've found clues to _disturbing_ connections between treasonous parties and certain important members of our own nobility, connections which take _precision _and _planning_ to sever properly. Deal with the archer quietly, I want to _speak_ with her later. Dismissed."

* * *

Mina shuffled through the meager belongings in her bag, hunting for her bracelet. While she didn't mind wearing the thing loose, it had to be tightened if she was going to wear it in combat.

"Can't have my magic bracelet getting in the way of my arrows, now can I? Now where's Benkei?" She left her room in search of the fabled Yu-Yan repairman. Whether it was a busted boot sole or a crack on a priceless family heirloom, Benkei could make it look and feel like new, as well as make nearly any change you could ask for. She actually owed Benkei for fixing up an old pair of boots to fit her small feet, just as all her clothing had to be altered for her smaller frame.

Yes, being one of a mere handful of girls in the Yu-Yan certainly had its drawbacks, but there were some definite perks as well. The greatest--at the behest of the barracks supervisor himself, lovingly nicknamed "Mom"--was her own room. She didn't really mind missing out on all the "guy talk" among the others, to be honest, although her discovery of Ty Lee had been, in her opinion, the answer to a prayer.

"And today she's coming back! Wonder what crazy scheme Pink has up her sleeve this time?"

"Mina, a little help?" Senai's whiny voice brought her attention over to a large closet, which was resisting all of the young man's efforts to remove its contents. Sighing, she gently shoved him aside and bent over to examine the problem. "Oh, come _on_, Senai! You're never gonna get that thing out of there if--" She was cut off by a painful shove in the back, flipping her over onto a large bedroll. As she thrashed around to right herself, the door slammed shut with a jarring impact, and she could hear the small _thunk_ as the lock slid into place.

"Senai! _Senai, you illigitimate spawn of a rhino-cow's back warts! Get back over here and unlock this door or I swear I will shove your bow so far up your--"_

"Ah, shut it Mina! Don't worry, someone from Palace Intelligence will be along in a few hours to take care of everything! In the mean time, why don't you just relax a bit!" Mina slammed her arm against the door as Senai walked away laughing.

* * *

"Do you understand your mission, Captain?"

"For the seventeenth time, _yes_, I understand perfectly! Now can we please get this over with quickly?" The small crowd approached the barracks where the last piece of their "army" was waiting. Akira led the way, followed by a shaking little man from the War Procurement Department. Granted, he may have been shaking at the feeling of being surrounded by the entirety of the Wolves also trailing the Captain.

"And you're _sure_ you only need three?"

"_Yes_, you gold-hoarding lizard-rat. _Three_. Any less and they aren't worth bringing, any more and it's overkill." Akira was secretly enjoying the man's terrified expression, albeit with a little guilt. When returning to the Palace, he had been immediately given a hurried briefing on a _situation_ in Kishima, as well as a packet with orders to not open until they reached Gaozhi Naval Yard, two islands away from their target, and not before. The Wolves, as a unit, had been ordered to go, and he was told they would meet the Red Pirates along the way.

The Yu-Yan, however, had been _his_ idea.

"If you don't mind my asking, sir, ahh, _why_ exactly are we asking for Yu-Yan archers?"

"Not archers, _archer._ There's only one I'm looking for, but as I said before they work best in groups of three or more. Well, here we are." Pushing open the door to the barracks, he came face-to-face with a middle-age officer who looked to be in the middle of a tirade against his men.

"Oh good! Lined up already, that'll make this easier!" He walked past the officer, who was soundlessly trying to turn his yelling on the arrivals, and surveyed the assembled archers. As he continued down the line, his fist began tightening in frustration. Finally, upon reaching the final archer, he turned to the officer.

"There's at least one missing. Where are the others?"

"Others? I, ah, I don't know what you're, ah, talking about." The officer smiled sweetly, backing away slowly from Akira.

"Sir! Sir, I really need to talk...to...you." Mina froze in the entryway, eyeing the armored Guardsman confronting the barracks supervisor. "Don't I know you guys?"

"_There_ you are. I was beginning to worry." He turned to the supervisor, "I want her and two others. Which of them have the best urban combat scores?"

"Ah, sir--I think there's been some mistake. You see, Private Sakomo is unable to go on assignments at this time, due to...well, I'd rather not say."

"Well, then I'm sure you'll be relieved to hear that this isn't an assignment. It's called a "domestic force insertion." _Thanks, Kojima. Even though now I wish I'd thought of that._ He turned again to the supervisor, "Now about the scores?"

The supervisor seemed to wilt as he called out for two of the archers to come forward. Akira immediately forgot their names--he'd ask either Mina or Dasi later, he was good with names--and signalled to the Wolves to start clearing out. As they began leaving, Mina walked over to one of the archers lined up near the door.

"Hi, Senai. Don't worry, no hard feelings?" She recieved a weak smile in return. Smiling broadly, she then grabbed the front of the boy's tunic, pushing his head back with the other hand on his chin and slamming him into the wall.

Everyone froze. The silence seemed to stretch out forever, but then the boy was released, to fall with a dull _thump_ on the barracks floor.

"Next time, there'll _be _hard feelings, and it _won't_ be in a nice area either. Well, see ya!" With that, she all but bounced over to the waiting Guardsmen. "Stuff's in my room, I'll be back fast as I can."

Once the archer had left, Yarin's voice carried across the Wolves, "_This_ was the kid that you said that Ty girl was friends with?"

"Shut it, Yarin."

"Shutting it, Pack Leader."

* * *

The rush of energy roared past them, tugging on Aang's steadily lengthening hair as a wall nearby was reduced to powder. Chancing a glance around the corner, he hurriedly took refuge once more as Combustion Man tensed for another attack.

"Come _on_, how stubborn can one guy be! And he doesn't even care about bystanders! What can we do against a guy like that?" Toph grunted as the wall shuddered under the next blow, and Aang knew they would have to find a new hiding place. Spotting a small well across the street, he motioned to the others.

"Alright, on three! One--" The blast made the ground shake, and the wall began crumbling, "Three!" The three sprinted across the street as the wall finally fell apart under the onslaught. Reaching the well, Aang grabbed Katara and all but threw her into the hole, fervently hoping the well had water at the bottom. Toph came next, but as he reached out to grab her, she shoved his hand away.

"Nobody tosses me around like a bag of rice." Climbing up the side, she turned to Aang, "If Sugar Queen doesn't have some soft water to land on, I swear I will come back from the Spirit World and haunt her for the rest of her natural existance!" Disappearing down the hole, Aang suddenly found himself facing the advancing Combustion Man. _I wish I hadn't sent Sokka to go get Appa. Either he'll never find us and assume the worst, or he _will_ find us and get toasted! _

"Uh, can't we talk this out like nice people?" A miniature explosion kicked up the ground at his feet. "Guess not. Well, see ya!" Turning and diving into the well, he felt the blast wave slam down on him, crushing him into the sides of the hole and turning his dive into a crashing plunge through darkness to hit something hopefully softer than dirt.

Suddenly, a wave of water crashed over him, and his fall began slowing. Blurrily opening his eyes, he could only see the darkness around him. Then the water around his head peeled back. letting in much-needed air. After what felt like an eternity, he felt ground under his feet and the last of the water subsided, leaving him staring into the darkness.

"Sorry if it took me a while to slow your fall, I had to make sure Toph got to shore okay." Katara's voice was reassuring amid the disorienting blackness. Aang began groping around for the others. Finding something that felt like cloth, he grabbed hold, only to recieve a massive blow to the side of his head.

"Twinkle Toes! What the heck do you think you're doing!" Toph's squeak helped him shake the stars from his eyes as he hurriedly tried to figure out just what he'd done wrong.

"Sorry, forgot you're blind down here. Reflexes. Next time, just wait for _me_ to give you a hand, okay?"

"Sorry, Toph. Umm, what exactly did I--"

"You don't wanna know."

"I hate to say it, but I think we need to stay down here for a while. Whats-his-name up there probably won't give up on us that easily, and I don't know if there's another way out."

"There isn't. I just checked." Toph's voice was flat, and Aang could only stare at where he assumed his feet were as he failed to come up with any other way out of this.

"Look on the bright side, we've got all this water to bend, once we're convinced he's gone it'll be easy to just come back up the well and be off to the next town!"

"Yeah, of course! In the meantime, what are we going to do?"

"I dunno."

"I got nothing, Twinkle-Toes."

"Oh. Well..."

"What?"

"Wanna talk about our place in the universe?"

_WHAM_

**So, how was it? If anyone wants to know, Aang's last comment was sort of ripped off from episode 313 (now helpfully airing on Youtube, gotta love technology). In other news, I'd like to take this time to thank Karen Traviss, who's _Republic Commando_ series has turned out to be a real inspiration for Akira, the Wolf Pack, and Ling. And for those of you who know, _yes_ Nei is meant to be an exaggerated Walon Vau. And _yes_, I know I credited _Republic Commando_** **before, but it's just that good.**

**Well, I've rambled on enough, so I better get back to writing. Coming up sometime soon: Team Avatar versus Akira--Round II! This time, the gloves are coming off...**

**--There's a good reason why it's called "God-given talent"--NullChronicler**


	18. Dance to the Falling Sun

**Hey everybody! The next chapter of Walking a Wire now complete! I would just like to say...wow, writing this story has been one of the most fun things I've done in years, and whoever set up this site for all us writers deserves a big thank-you! Now then, let's get on with the show! Oh, and by the way, I don't own Avatar.**

**Chapter XVIII: Dance to the Falling Sun**

"Where are we, Kojima?"

"I think Shaodin, but I'm not sure. We might be in Sodai, they sort of bleed into each other. We'll be meeting the Pirates at the port." The group entered a large square ornamented with a great dragon spewing water into the pool below, "Somehow, that just doesn't seem right."

"I hear ya, Kojima! Where's the fire? Come on, what's a _dragon_ doing blasting out _water_?" Yarin yelled from the back of the column.

"Alright, enough commenting on local architecture. Grab a drink and rest your packs, then we're heading for the RZ." Shrugging off his own pack, Akira dropped onto the edge of the fountain with a groan.

"Alright, Sunshine. Spill." Kojima sat down next to him,"accidentally"ramming shoulder-plates. Akira waved him off, but the other persisted.

"Come on, Pack Leader. You're acting wierd, all _flat_, like a Gan ball with a hole punched in it." Yarin sat down as well, effectively cornering him between the two.

"I'm _fine, _guys! I'm just a little stressed at the moment, okay?"

"So which is it? Stressed or fine? You seem pretty stressed to me."

"Yeah, I'm feeling stress here as well. Why don't we _talk it out,_ maybe _get in touch_ with the root of your problem?"

"Will you two just _can it?_ Kojima, tell everyone to take an hour off. The Pirates won't care if we're late a bit." Akira shoved off from the fountain, grabbing his pack as he rose, and hurriedly left the square.

"Well, you heard him. _One hour off then we're moving, people!_"

"This is _bad_, man. I've never seen him so..._off_. Not since--"

"I know, Yarin. I can _always _get him to laugh, but this time I think I just made it _worse_. Whatever it is, I hope I'm a few islands over when it snaps."

"I hear ya, man."

"Hear what?" The two jumped as Mina walked up behind them, causing the archer to raise an eyebrow. "I thought firebenders could sense body heat."

"_You're_ a bender, aren't you? Is it easy for _you_?"

"Well--"

"There ya go, kit." Yarin's grin was obvious even through the helmet as Mina fumed.

"I'm not a _kit_. I'm a Yu-Yan, and _you're_ going to be a pincushion if you aren't nice to me."

"So, the kit's got claws, does she?"

Ignoring Yarin's prodding, she turned to Kojima, "So what's got the Captain tied in knots?"

"Don't know, but I think it was sometime during that stay on Ember."

"Yeah, he got off the ferry acting all wierd. Trouble with the girl if ya ask me."

"Well, no one _asked _you, Yarin, and anyway you've never had a girl to _have_ troubles with."

"What are you talking about? I got 'em at the--"

"_Those_ are called _call girls_, Yarin. Now, I know this is a hard concept for you to grasp, but _payment_ does not equal--"

"Forget I was ever over here." Mina left the two arguing guards to return to the other Yu-Yan. She had been overjoyed when Benkei was one of the two others chosen to join the group, and he had been fixing her bracelet during the two-day trek to Sodai. Why they never met the Red Pirates in the capital was explained away as typical administrational stupidity, but Mina didn't mind--she was just happy to be out of the capital and on her way to the far edges of the Home Islands.

"Don't worry about them, Mina." Benkei rumbled in his deep voice, "Men like them are always under pressure to succeed, and in ways it makes them surpass us mere mortals. In others, they are weaker than the youngest child. I think now we can see that their armor, however imposing, is not perfect."

"Yeah, I guess. How'd you get so philosophical anyway."

"I read, Miss Sakomo. I often get the feeling you have never been one for books." The deep rumble of Benkei's voice was punctuated by his ever-ready laugh.

"Yeah, well my dad thought books were for target practice. I've told you before he wanted a boy." Getting up to leave, she was startled as Benkei grabbed her arm. Looking down, she was surprised by the gentle expression on his face.

"Mina, you're more than just a warrior. We all are, even if some of us," He jerked his head toward the still-arguing Guardsmen, "Fail to quite realize that." Letting go of her arm, he settled once again onto the ground, and soon was poring over some intricate machine he had extracted from his belt. Mina just stood and looked around, watching the small knots of men around the square as the sun slowly sunk behind the rooftops.

* * *

"Do you think he saw us?"

"_Shhhh! Keep quiet!"_

"Uh-oh, _he saw us! Run!_" The explosion tore across the market as Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka fled from the clanking footsteps of the man who _just wouldn't quit_. Two days and two islands over, and the man had succeeded in finding them once again, with the depressingly predictable results.

_Run away._

Aang ground his teeth as he whipped into an alley, the rest following as another blast ripped up the cobblestone street they had occupied only moments ago. _Run away_, he hated the word, yet there was no way they could stand up to Combustion Man. _I'm the Avatar, and even I can't bend with my mind! What gives with this guy?_ Concentrating on finding a way out of the alley-maze, he ran headlong into a stranger in the path. Looking up and rubbing his rear, his eyes widened as the uniform of a Fire Nation soldier came into focus. Luckily, Katara's hand closed around his collar and soon he was back on his feet, running faster than before.

"Twinkle-Toes, _wait!_" Toph's voice brought him to a skidding halt, only to be knocked over by Katara slamming into him from behind.

"Toph, what are you talking about? Combustion Man is after us, we nearly--"

"No, pudding-brain, he's _not_ after us, not anymore. If you could feel through the Earth, you'd see something a bit different. We're going back, I've got a plan." With that she had returned to the alley-way, leaving Aang no choice but to rush after her, back towards the one person he _should_ be running _from_.

* * *

"So, you're not hopeless after all." A grunt was all he got in response as he realigned his sword for another deflection. He thought he was getting close to deflecting them straight backwards, but then that might just be optimism talking. Craters dug into the ground at his feet, and the walls around him looked like someone had let an enraged komodo-rhino loose in the alley. He could feel the armor warming, even through the fire-resistant underlayers, and it was getting uncomfortable. _Still, better uncomfortable than dead._

"I don't know how you're going to take this, but Sao Ling, you are under arrest for crimes against the Fire Nation, including...blazes, I don't know. What _haven't_ you done, Ling?" Another grunt, "Can't talk, big man? Bet you can't go hand-to-hand either." He was interrupted in his taunting by a fire blast, parried only barely to finish blowing out a wall to his left. He could feel the sweat begin building as he watched Sao Ling prepare for another attack. Suddenly, he didn't see Lao anymore, simply a wave of earthen debris and rock, and he turned to see the diminuitive Earthbender from Gyudon flashing him a smile and a wave.

"Hiya, Fire Dude! Figured you could use the help! You know, help out a fellow bender? Like, I save you from the evil psycho-bender, you help us get some food and a place to stay?" Soon the Earthbender, who's name he thought was Toph, was joined by three others, including...

"_Avatar._" He saw four pairs of eyes widen as he shifted his stance to face the new group. His eyes flickedered over the stranger, a lanky, tanned boy who wore what appeared to be a combination of street clothing and the underlayers of a soldier's uniform. Suddenly, said stranger was pushing himself to the front of the group, drawing an ebony sword from his back.

"Alright, you guys got to stomp this clown last time, let's see how well I do against Tin Man."

"Sokka, I really don't think--"

"Come on, it's _me_, how badly could it possibly go?" Akira nearly laughed as the Avatar's skin turned a pale green, and he could have sworn the taller girl's skin paled several degrees. _That's right, you know what's going to happen to dear old...what's his name? Sokka? Why do water-tribe names have to be so wierd? Then again, Ty Lee named her cat Aidyn...Ty Lee...great, I _still_ don't know what in blazes went wrong, and why can't I keep it simple and stay mad at her? Blast it, girls are crazy!_

"Alright, pal, Aang's gone to get Appa and we're gonna be out of here soon, so let's get this over with quickly." Springing off his feet, Sokka surged forward and surprised Akira with a strong side-armed cut that rang off his shoulder-plate, rudely pulling him back into the battle.

"Lucky shot, water boy. Let's see how good you are when I'm paying attention!" As another side-slash angled towards a weak point between the plates, Akira sidestepped and lowered his stance, sealing off the weak point and setting up a forceful upswing that nearly took his opponent's arm off. Leaping back with a high-pitched yelp, the boy soon had himself back under control.

"You scream like a girl, you know that?" _That got a response_, Akira thought, as with a yell Sokka rushed him again, only to see his thrust sidestepped and recieve a hard backhand to the back of his head as he passed. Narrowly avoiding running himself into the far wall, he spun with a look of utter confusion as Akira calmly reset his guard.

"How--how'd you move so fast?" A stunned Sokka asked.

_Trust me, kid, it wasn't easy_. Akira could feel sweat running down his face, threatening to interfere with his vision as the thick High Guard armor became an oven. Further thoughts proved futile as Sokka came at him again, and Akira felt a jarring impact along his left side. Glancing down, he saw a clean line where the paint had been taken off.

"You're good, kid. You might _almost_ be good enough to face me in a fair fight." He beckoned with the blade, and once again onyx flashed against silver.

Only a few good volleys into the fight, Akira was rapidly moving from playful annoyance to bewildered frustration. Sokka was, quite simply, _too fast_. Everything he sent was swatted away, and another chip of paint fell from his armor. He was baking inside the shell, and sweat was freely running across his face and body. The water-boy, on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of his life, making lazy yet precise slashes across Akira's guard and, on one occasion, threading the blade neatly across the eye-slits of his helmet.

Finally having enough, Akira bent a wave of heat out at the boy, throwing him back a few feet. "Fine, I'll admit it. You win this round. Now we fight _fairly_." He watched the water-tribe warrior's jaw drop as he threw off the constricting helmet, followed closely by his chestplate and upper leg plates. Finally, all he wore of his armor was the gauntlets and vambrace plates, and the greaves that strapped into his boots. "Now then, let's see what you can do against someone who isn't weighed down with all that junk."

The first swipe of his blade met the onyx edge, or it _would _have if he had been restricted by the armor. Instead, the slash became a feint, the boy's guard became useless, and an angry red line was drawn across tan skin. Letting out another high-pitched squeal, Sokka fell back holding his shoulder, as Akira's grin turned hard.

"Round two begins _now_. _Winner take all_."

**Ooooh boy, here we go... I've been wanting this swordfight for a LONG time now, and I hope I'm doing this justice. As a warning, next chapter will be INTENSE. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for the epic conclusion!**


	19. Dance to the Rising Moon

**Well, faithful readers, here we are--the newest chapter in Walking a Wire. I have over 1500 hits! And...7 reviews...Well, does it matter if you're having fun?**

**At any rate, enjoy!**

**Chapter XIX: Dance to the Rising Moon**

_"Aang, stop!"_ Skidding to a halt, he looked back to see Katara turned back the way they had come, her body suddenly rigid.

"What is it, Katara? Is something wrong?"

"Sokka, he's--I don't know, I just feel something awful's going to happen. I--Aang, we _have to go back!_" She finally turned, worry showing across her face, "We know what this guy's capable of and--and I know my brother's good, but Sokka's not a bender and this guy nearly beat _us._"

"Sugar Queen's right, Snoozles is gonna get his rear barbecued and handed to him by that guy. We shouldn't have left." Finally, with a wordless nod from Aang, they set off to help their friend.

* * *

"Very impressive! Keep up the good work and you might actually force a stalemate!" Akira flexed his hand, watching the blood run from the gash down his forearm. _With the armor off, I can finally see just how good this kid is. Where in the world could he have learned to move so fast?_ He grinned again as he looked over at his opponent. Sokka, for all his speed, just didn't have the same experience with a blade, and his robes were quickly being reduced to bloody rags.

"You're not so bad yourself, Tin Man. Aang told me you're a bender, though. Why aren't you trying to fry me?"

"It's called professional respect. You're the first somewhat accomplished swordsman I've faced in, well, _years_ actually. Unfortunately," He flexed his hand again, feeling the dripping blood flowing across the skin, "unfortunately, 'professional respect' can only go so far, and it's time to end this." Looking at Sokka, Akira had to admit that it was more than exhaustion that necessitated an end. _I can barely see anymore, and the streetlamps don't reach this far into the alleys. Also, he's got a waterbender for a sister and I _really_ don't want to be around with the moon this close to full._

"So, does that mean you surrender?" The weak smirk that the boy gave him momentarily stunned Akira. _He's lost how much blood, and he still has a sense of humor? Man, this kid is really something. Oh well, he's also water tribe._ Bringing his blade back to guard, he watched as Sokka struggled to get his sword back into position.

"What's the matter, are you tired?"

"Tired? Nope, I can keep up with you all night."

"Keep up with this." He stepped directly into Sokka's stance, bringing up the blade to stop the slowly moving onyx sword and pushing it into the wall. He felt his entire upper body tense as he prepared to bring the sword back across his body with enough force to punch through metal. _Just like Nei taught us. Power from the hips, flows to the chest, lead with one arm, support with the other._

"Goodbye, my worthy opponent. If only you had been one of us."

* * *

_She rounds the corner, just in time to see the meteor sword, the blade he had lavished care on to the near exclusion of all else, fall from limp hands as the blow jerks him around. She opens her mouth as the once-silver blade exits the impossible gash across the chest. It's impossible, this can't be happening._

_It is._

_The Universe had to prove him wrong one last time, and as she begins to scream she isn't even aware of Toph's earthen blast, or Aang's combined assault of earth and air. All she knows is that she has to heal him, has to stop the blood that's soaking the torn and battered rags he wears. Water, where's water? I need water!_

_She bends her waterskin dry, desperately hoping it will be enough. The skin glows under her hands and the blood stops. Then, it begins flowing again. The cut is too deep, she can't stop it._

_Useless tears are falling as she looks for something, _anything_ that she can use. She reaches out, trying to sense water around her, and finally finds a line of water under the earth. She remembers how she and Aang had bent water from underground vents long ago, but she knows there's no time for the gentle push-and-pull motion now. The crash of the geyser is the sweetest sound she could ever hear as water rushes across her hands and the healing glow fills her vision. She can save him._

_She can't think about what will happen if she doesn't._

* * *

The stone dagger embedded itself in the wall inches from his head as a blade of ice pinned a sleeve of his tunic. Both the Avatar and the Earthbender were coming at him at once, and it was all he could do to stay one step ahead of the incoming projectiles. Even then, his arm throbbed from where a blast of stone had struck, and he was finding it difficult to breath without tearing up. _Cracked ribs, maybe completely broken_ he thought, as more attacks came in as fast as he could dodge them.

_Going heads-up with the Avatar is impossible, I'll have to separate him from the Earthbender, find some way to down her, and get my tail out of here while both the water girl and the Avatar are helping with damage control._ A good plan, yes, but it didn't look likely to happen as a slick of mud appeared beneath his feet and he scrambled to stay balanced while pieces of the street began hurling themselves at him. In one way, the repeated attacks kept him moving too fast to hit with something really nasty, so as he found his footing and lashed out with a flame whip, he gave thanks for small favors.

Glancing at the Earthbender, he noticed she wasn't even looking at him, simply keeping herself out of the way and bending in seemingly random directions that always seemed to connect with his feet. _If I get rid of her, maybe I can get a solid footing._ Suddenly, the Avatar appeared behind him, slamming down an air blast at his back. Sidestepping the blast, he watched as the girl--Toph, he reminded himself--was nearly hit by the incoming column of air before a yelled warning from the Avatar caused her to put up a hurried rock wall.

_Why didn't she see that coming? Wait..._ Again turning to the Avatar, he let loose with a current of flame that was stopped with a stone barrier. However, the Avatar wasn't his target. Pulling the flame back toward him, he switched stances and, still facing the Avatar, smoothly sent the flame the other direction. It was a water-tribe technique he had learned from listening to soldiers who had faced waterbenders, and the fact that they didn't have to face you to hit you had been a skill he'd worked hard on. _Thank you, Dad. If you hadn't made me see the connections, I would have been nothing. With what I know, I can win--I know I can._ He registered the sharp scream as the Avatar's rock wall came down to face a cursory sheet of flame, but Akira had found his opening.

This would be over soon.

The girl was curled up on the ground as Akira advanced, grabbing his sword from where it had been thrown at the beginning of the fight. Bringing the blade back for a hard thrust, he was surprised as a rock wall materialized in front of his face. Turning, he only saw the heel of the Avatar's shoe approaching before stars exploded in front of his eyes. Reeling from the blow, he could only back away guarding as the rain of blows came against every part of his body they could reach. Finding his back to a wall, he sent out a desperate arc of flame that quickly dissipated against an air shield. Amazingly, he noticed that the Earthbender was back on her feet, although her hands remained wrapped around her midsection as both she and the Avatar began working through a forceful set of movements. Two massive slab of stone burst from the ground, accompanied by a sickening crunch that sounded all too much like bones breaking. Suddenly, both slabs were rushing towards him, and he had a brief image of what the city cleaners might find after all this.

_No, use your fear, use your anger, think!_ As the slabs came in for his crushing end, he kicked off from the ground as hard as he could, planting a foot against the stone and using it to catapult himself from slab to slab as, with a final, painful _crunch_, the two slammed together just below his foot. Suddenly, the full weight of what had almost happened sunk in, and Akira felt his stomach tying in knots as he realized that he had only one course of action left.

_Clear your mind, get rid of everything but the pathway. Find the energy, separate, and--_

A cold sensation swept across his body as he leapt from the top of the slab, gathering the energy around himself and letting it sweep across his entire body. _Don't think, don't feel, just guide._

The early night calm was shattered by the thunder's _CRACK_, and lightning lit up the darkness.

He landed hard, feeliing the aftereffects of his attack. He wasn't cold, he was _freezing_, and his muscles were spasming as he rose unsteadily to his feet. His first step felt like lifting a lead weight, and he struggled to see through the dust that stung his eyes.

Blurrily, he could make out the Earthbending girl sitting up dazed on the ground. Wincing with each movement, but knowing what had to be done, he made his way over to where she lay. As he looked down, he was surprised by how light she looked, as though a slight wind would blow her pale skin away like parchment. Her hair had been knocked out of its bun and lay around her shoulders, hiding her face from view. Sighing, he kneeled in front of her, grabbing a handful of her ebony hair as she struggled to make sense of what was going on.

"Huh, what are you--_hey--_" The rest of her words were cut off, as Akira brought his arm down brutally against the knee plate on his greaves. Tossing the girl down to the ground, he drew a knife from his boot as she still stared, perhaps unbelieving that the metallic taste in her mouth was her own. Bringing the knife down, his entire body was suddenly wracked by pain. Looking at his shaking hand, he willed it to continue down, but it remained where it was, hovering over the girl's shoulder.

"Go--go ahead and finish the job, T--Tin Man." She choked out.

"I--I'm _trying_." But, try as he might, he remained frozen where he was, and the pain seemed to redouble with each effort.

"You won't be hurting my friends anymore. You won't be hurting _anyone_ anymore, do you understand?" He tried opening his mouth to yell, but all he felt was knives digging into his face as his mouth remained stubbornly shut. _What's going on, what's she doing to me? Agni, what spirit's wrath have I roused?_ Giving up on fighting the paralysis, he began working to relax his muscles as much as possible. Unfortunately, nothing he did worked, and he could feel several cramps begin as he hung motionless over the Earthbender girl.

"Toph, are you okay? Aang, go get Toph and bring her over here!" He watched as Toph was dragged out from underneath him, helpless to do any more than shift his eyes, and even then it sent knives of pain into the back of his skull.

"You hurt my friends, you nearly _killed _my brother, give me one good reason why I shouldn't finish this, right here, _right now!_"

"Katara, just--just make him leave. I don't think he's going to be any trouble any more."

He heard the waterbender's voice tinged with doubt, "It--it doesn't work like that, Aang. I need the full moon for the control to actually move someone. When it's like this, anything I do could kill him if I'm not careful. And I'm still waiting on that reason."

"Wait, how do you--?"

"Look, I might have..._practiced,_ you know, like maybe when you guys were sleeping?" He heard a sigh, "Look, I don't like it, but if I can do it, I want to know my limitations, and if this is what it took to end the fight, I'm glad I learned."

"It's all right, Katara, I don't think he's going to fight anymore."

"I don't know..."

"Katara, _please_." Suddenly, Akira felt his body go limp, and he pitched forward while releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Gulping for air, he turned to the Avatar as his hand closed around the knife.

_Life is temporary, service is eternal. What the heck, I have nothing to lose._

"Thank you, Avatar. For an enemy of the Fire Nation, you're awfully kind to your opponents. Farewell." His hand blurred as the knife flashed towards the boy's neck, until blinding pain seized his arm and a strained growl forced its way past his lips.

"You--how _could_ you? You were just using us, weren't you? Playing off our kindness, just to betray us--you Fire Nation soldiers really are perfect little monsters, _aren't you?_ _That's it, I've had it with--_"

He never learned what she'd had it with, as the pain in his arm travelled inward, stabbing into his chest with each of his echoing heart-beats, with a force that pried his mouth open in a silent scream as the world exploded around him, then faded to black.

* * *

"What happened to him? _Katara, what did you do?_"

"I--I didn't--he, oh spirits--" Katara paled and grabbed at the wall for support as Aang cautiously inched towards the..._body_?

"Uh, hello? Fire Nation guy, are you alright?" He nudged the young man with his foot.

"_What in Agni's name is going on here, and what are you doing to that--GET AWAY FROM HIM!"_ Katara and Aang scrambled back against the wall, each dragging a comrade away from the older man who slowly entered the square, his face a mask as he fell to a crouch beside the prone figure, "No, it's not--can't be--no no no _no no NO! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!"_

Katara answered, her tan skin a sickly pale in the moonlight, "I'm sorry, he was going to hurt my friends, he had _already_ hurt them, I--I didn't know what else to do, I don't know what happened, I was b--bloodbending and--"

"You're a bloodbender? What about a healer?" He recieved a mute nod. "Well then, fix him! _Heal Akira, you blasted water-tribe witch!"_

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on?" Aang stepped between the cowering waterbender and this strange man. "Sir, we didn't know who he was, he was attacking us, he was trying to kill me, we had to do something and it was an accident!"

The man stood staring at him for a long moment, his eyes traveling across Aang's face. Suddenly Aang realized his headband had gotten lost in the fighting and hurriedly tried smoothing down his bangs, but the man continued to stare. "You're the Avatar..." His eyes flickered between Aang and Katara for a long moment, until they all heard a faint, choking cough. Spinning around, the man caught the movement at the same time as Aang and Katara and immediately fell to his knees in front of the stirring form.

"It's okay, son. I'm here now, it's going to be okay, we'll get you to a hospital, everything's going to be fine." The form muttered something into the man's coat that Aang couldn't catch, but the man just quieted him with a wave of his hand.

"You'll be fine, son. I'll let Kojima and the others know as soon as we get you somewhere safe. The middle of the alley is no place for you to be laying. _You!"_ He pointed a demanding finger at Aang, "_Avatar! _Get his armor, bring the concubine and your injured and follow me."

The waterbender immediately made to protest. "Easy, Katara. No more fighting." Heaving a wobbly Sokka to his feet, he stacked the armor plates on one arm and leaned the water tribe warrior on the other as the weird group traveled out of the alleys following this strange man and the young soldier who had been trying his hardest to kill them not five minutes ago.

Aang shifted the load in his arms, grunting at how _heavy_ this armor was. He leaned towards Katara, half-dragging Toph while trying to repair her nose at the same time, "I don't know about you, but this is really freaking me out."

"We don't have a choice." She whispered back, "Sokka lost too much blood, Toph's going to be sick from all she's swallowed, and we all need rest. I hate to admit it, but right now we're a threat to absolutely no one unless you miraculously regain the use of the Avatar State. And if he had wanted to get rid of us, I have a feeling he would have by now. This guy feels dangerous, but I don't think he's after you. For now, we go along."

"You coming or not? I don't care if you're the Fire Lord himself, I'm not waiting up for you!" Stomping on ahead, the strange young man cradled in his arms, the old man led on through the dimly lit streets, Aang and his friends warily following.

**So, what did ya think? Evil ending I know, but I don't _think_ I'll be killing a main character this early in my little work.**

**On a happier note, LING'S BACK! What, I like him! So, how is Akira's untimely injury going to affect the Wolves/Pirates mission? And what's happening back in the capital while all this is going on? Stay tuned, faithful readers!**

**Trust in God, and it'll all work out in the end. I mean, the guy DID write the Universe Rulebook--Anonymous**

**--NullChronicler--**


	20. My Enemy, My Friend

**And here we are, the twentieth chapter of Walking a Wirewhich is beginning to get out of my control. As in--Ashani wasn't supposed to exist and she plays a fairly significant role at the end of this chapter. Also, the Wolves are taking on a life of their own, and the characters are developing differently that I thought they were supposed to. Oh well, not like my well-crafted plot was ever going to actually come to pass anyway. And this afternoon my plans for the sequal got derailed and I had to throw the plot out for that one, too. Such is the life of a writer.**

**But enough of my whining--let's get on with the important stuff! You should know the disclaimer by now, so just enjoy the show!**

**Chapter XX: My Enemy, My Friend**

"Princess, I have brought my report."

"Continue."

"The military force is currently in Sodai, they will be meeting the Red Naval Unit this evening. No new information can be provided on the archer, however."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I've learned who the accomplice is, and I intend to punish the traitor at once."

"Yes, Princess Azula. Do you have any further orders?"

"Yes. Bring the Guardsmen heading for Kishima back to the capital."

"Milady?"

"There's been a change of plans--_Father_ made the change himself. Do you dare question your Fire Lord?"

"N-no, Princess. We will send the messages at once."

"See that you do. You may go, and tell the next that he may enter."

"Very well, Princess."

"Milady, I hear you have some new information on the accomplice to the traitor?"

"Yes, and I already have the situation well in hand. One of my most _trusted_ assistants will be overseeing the operation personally. Is there a _problem?_"

"No, milady."

"Good. You may go."

* * *

"_Where_ is that servant?" Ty Lee stood munching on some fire flakes as she waited for the girl that Azula said would soon be here. The crowds at the market flowed around her as she looked for the description Azula had given--brown hair, about average height, an unhealthy obsession with pink, and dumb as a rock. _Azula said she would be visiting this stand this morning. So, where is she?_ Looking around with a mouthful of flakes, she spotted a large figure in a cloak making its way through the crowd. As the figure approached, she decided that it was simply going to the stall next to her and went back to the bag of fire flakes.

"Miss, may I speak with you?" The man's voice nearly made her spill the bag of flakes as she looked up at the cloaked figure. For some reason, the way he was holding himself was familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Umm, I really can't talk right now. I'm supposed to be watching for someone."

"I promise it will only take a moment. I just need to talk with you privately."

"I--uh, I really don't think I should leave right now. No offense, but I don't know anything about you." She could have sworn the man growled from under the cloak, but he walked off quickly and was soon lost amid the morning shoppers.

Returning to her bag, she continued scanning the market between mouthfuls, watching as the vendors yelled out their prices and one argued endlessly with a customer who claimed that their Authentic Earth Kingdom Floor Mats were made on the next island over.

As she was watching, a sound caught her attention from behind her. Turning and listening, she caught a faint mewling coming from the shadows in the alley. Rounding a corner, she spotted the source--a tiny armadillo-kitten had been caught in a trap meant for the lizard-rats that plagued the market.

"Hold on little guy, I'll get you out of there." Reaching down, she began releasing the catch holding the kitten's leg. Unfortunately the kitten had other ideas, and she retreated sucking at her bleeding fingers. "I just want to help. You don't need to be scared of me." Nonetheless, she carefully pinned the kitten away from her hand as she released the catch, and the kitten shot off into the alley.

"There's a good little--" Her next words were cut off by the hand that clamped over her mouth, and her hands were pinned to the ground. Looking down, her eyes widened as she recognized what was holding her hands to the dirt.

"Miss Ty Lee, you are under arrest for crimes against the Fire Nation, including deliberate harm to production facilities, attacks on military personnel, and conspired treason against the throne." It was the man's voice from the market, but now she saw the Dai Li agent to whom it belonged as he stood over her, his expression blank as she tried to yell through the rock glove forcing her mouth closed.

_Treason?_

* * *

"So, is he going to be alright?" The old man's voice was laced with worry as he, Aang, Katara, and Toph sat in the entry room. After depositing Sokka in one of the beds, Katara had finally succeeded in fixing Toph's nose, as well as several minor burns across her arms and hands, and the blind Earthbender now sat dejectedly over a metal pail, having been violently sick twice already.

"He'll be fine, but he's going to have to stay here for a few days at least. Several of his ribs are cracked, and aside from that gash on his arm there's massive internal bleeding throughout his body. It's stopped, thank Agni, but I'm having to keep him sedated for his own safety. Too much movement, and the bleeding could begin all over again. _How_ he managed to get in this condition without breaking every bone in his body is beyond me."

The older man shot a venomous glance at Katara, "Yeah, well, I have a pretty good guess as to what _might_ have happened, but I don't think it'll be a problem in the future."

"See that it doesn't, I very nearly had to send the boy to the morgue." With a final muttered curse, the doctor returned to the two patients, and the old man turned to Aang with a tired grin.

"Well, now that we have _that_ emergency out of the way, I think maybe we got started on the wrong foot. My name is Tao Ling, but everyone just calls me Ling. I know that you're the Avatar, but I'd feel better if I had another name to call you by."

"I--uh, wait, you don't sound like you're going to arrest me." Aang could feel a cautious hope creeping up inside of him--_maybe he can help us while we're here._

"I know what would happen if you were arrested. After the North Pole, the Fire Nation is through trying to capture you. If you read the "wanted" posters carefully, there's a very small line of script at the bottom that says "dead or alive" on it. With you gone, the next Avatar comes from, I think, the Water Tribe, and the Fire Nation thought it could end that threat last winter. Only problem? _You_. I arrest you, they kill you, and all sorts of trouble ensues."

"So, what? You're just going to play nice and help us? Why?" Katara's glare had absolutely no effect on Ling, who lazily shifted his weight before answering.

"I'm going to help you, girl, because the sooner this war is over, the sooner my boys can go home and be _boys_ again. I've got one of the most perceptive young men I've ever seen as a lieutenant, and I'm sick of him knowing _exactly_ what it is that he can't have because of his uniform. Then, there's that boy in there--head over heels for a noble's daughter and he's tearing himself apart over it because he doesn't know how to be a soldier _and_ in love. And before I forget, a young man who's tried to give himself alcohol poisoning on four occasions--that we know about--and I think you can start seeing the problem."

"I--I didn't know--I just thought--"

"You just thought that we were all fire-breathing _monsters_, is that right, girl? You've probably been raised in the Water Tribe your whole life, being told that the Fire Nation is evil to its core, and so is every last man, woman, and child who calls it home. Well, we _aren't_. _I'm _not, unless you mess with my boys, then I can guarentee you that I will make your existance a waking nightmare."

"Umm, can we just calm down a bit? I don't think we should be fighting."

"You're right, Avatar. I started this off trying to be friendly, and look at me now." He chuckled, "Well, I guess we all have our own faults. I remember now, I was asking you your name."

"It's K--my name's Aang. Really." He added, as Ling's eyebrow's edged upward.

"Aang? Well Aang, how would you like to have a place for you and your friends to live while you're here?"

"I--what--you'd do that for us?"

"Sure would, son. Now, you'd have to do something for me as well."

"Umm, what?"

"Well, it's my wife. See, she needs a bending teacher, and you would be perfect for the job."

"Oh." Aang's face fell, "I--I can't firebend. I tried once and--I didn't do well."

Ling just chuckled again, "Who says you need to teach _firebending?_ We have a house on the outskirts of the capital city, I could find a dozen firebending teachers in a morning's walk. No, I need _you_ to teach her."

"Why me? Couldn't Katara or Toph--"

"Leave me out of this, Twinkle-Toes." Toph looked up at Ling with an amused expression on her face, "Although the guy _seems_ nice enough. As far as I can tell, he's been telling the truth the whole time." The conversation was interrupted by voices outside, and it soon became clear the doctor had another visitor.

"--telling you, I can't allow any more back there."

"I have a message from my husband saying he will be waiting here."

"Please, ma'am, I'm sorry but I have rules concerning how I run my--"

"Let her in, you old quack!" Ling yelled through the door. As it swung open, the doctor huffed through quickly, leaving the woman to close the door herself. She was tall, yet graceful as she slowly made her way into the room. Black hair hung loose around her shoulders, and her pale skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the room. What struck Aang though, was how the light reflected off her eyes, seeming to sparkle with their own stormy light.

"Aang, this is my wife Ashani. Dear, this is Aang."

"A pleasure to meet you, Aang. Ling, why are we here?"

"One of the boys was hurt. The Avatar and his friends ran into Akira, and both sides are paying for it." He gestured at Toph, who had picked that moment to grab her stomach and dive for the pail again. Ashani's face instantly change from worry to motherly as she kneeled next to Toph.

"Don't need help. Fine." Toph grunted through clenched teeth, but Ashani remained by her side as she looked over at Ling, "So who's the Avatar?"

"Aang, don't worry, you can take off that headband." Unsure, he looked over at Katara, who nodded wearily. Giving a tug at the fabric, it fell away and Ashani's eyes widened in shock.

"Ashani, I think I've finally found you an Airbending teacher."


	21. Into Light, Into Night

**Well, here we go again! The newest chapter of Walking a Wire here for your viewing pleasure. Surprises both wonderful and horrible await in this chapter, and the lives of our heroes will never be the same.**

**On that note, just remember the disclaimer and enjoy!**

**Chapter XXI: Into Light, Into Night**

_"Ashani, I think I've finally found you an Airbending teacher."_

"I--uh--_what?_" Aang blankly looked from one to the other as shock slowly faded from Ashani's face, replaced by a wide smile as Ling's shoulders shook with silent laughter. Looking at Katara, her expression looked much like he felt. Even Toph looked up, although her feelings were impossible to read behind her pained expression.

"I--I had heard stories," Ashani slowly began, "that the Avatar had been killed during the fall of Ba Sing Se. I am very happy to know that those stories were untrue."

"So am I." Aang responded, desperately grabbing at anything that still made sense. A Fire Nation man who appeared to take care of Fire Nation soldiers, who might even hold a military job himself, was married to a--"

"Airbender. You-_you're an Airbender?_"

Ashani just smiled. "Would you like to see?" Reaching into a pocket on her dress, she produced several small wooden blocks. Holding them in her palm, she placed her other hand above as her face tightened in concentration. For a moment nothing happened, then--

"They're moving!" Sure enough, the blocks began to rise from her palm and weakly rotate as though in a miniature tornado. Only a few moments later, however, they fell back into her palm as she let out a deep sigh.

"I can only do that for a short time. Despite what my husband says, I'm not very good." She offered a weak smile at Aang before continuing, "But if you would teach me, I--I cannot fully express the greatness of that honor."

"I--I'm not sure what to say. I've never been much of a teacher." Aang grinned at the woman, "But I _did_ teach a few tricks to the other kids back at the Southern Temple, so I guess I can try."

"Thank you, Avatar Aang. You have no idea how much this means."

"No, thank _you_. Ever since I saw the devestation at the Southern Air Temple, I thought that I was the last of the Airbenders, and that the Air Nomads would vanish with me. I would be honored to teach any Airbender everything I know." He turned to Ling, "There, uhh, _are_ more Airbenders, right?"

"More than most would think, according to my wife. I can't tell you much here, but I'm sure Ashani could fill you in on the way home."

"Home? Oh right, you said you had a home in the capital."

"It's on the outskirts, actually outside the crater of the main city, so we can train nearby without notice. We should be able to leave as soon as your friends are ready to travel, I only need a few hours to gather the things we came for."

"So, we just stay here and wait for you?"

"Pretty much," Ashani answered, "But I think that is best anyway, since you all look like you could use some rest. That goes for you as well, dear." She opened the door to leave, only to be nearly knocked over by the doctor leaning on the other side. Picking himself up off the floor, he scrambled backwards as Ling advanced on him.

"How much did you hear?" At the tone of his voice, the doctor's face paled.

"N-nothing! Well, I--I heard something about a teacher and the Avatar and something about a temple somewhere but I don't know anything and if you'll just let me go I won't tell anyone I swear!"

"Somehow, I doubt that." He turned towards Ashani, "I'm sorry about this, but I may have to stay here a while and watch this one. Can you make do yourself?"

"It won't be a problem, I'll be fine." She opened the door to the street, exposing the early afternoon sun. "Just don't hurt the poor man."

* * *

Rows of cells slid past her as the soldiers continued to roughly push her along. She had quickly learned to just go along and put up as little resistance as possible, and now she just stared at the ground. As they pushed deeper into the prison catacombs, Ty Lee's thoughts chased themselves in her head. _What have I done wrong? Were they talking about the stuff I did with Mina? That was all clear--we were saving people from those horrible cloaked men and their soldier friends! Is that why all this happened, because we attacked the soldiers as well? It'll all be over soon anyway, Akira will come and--wait, he's out somewhere on some sort of mission._

"Your room, my good woman," The guard said in a false accent as a cell door creaked open. Looking up, she saw dingy greyish walls, a pair of shackles hanging over bars in the ceiling. Letting her head drop again, she felt the guards half-drag her into the cage. Suddenly, her arms weren't held at her back anymore, but over her head, and she snapped to attention with an alarmed shout.

"Sorry, but this was requested by the Princess herself." Ty Lee felt the cold metal snap shut around her wrists as her brain tried to make sense of the last comment. The loud _CLANG_ of the gate shutting pulled her back for a moment to watch the guards leave, before she dissolved again into a frenzied search for something that made sense in all this. In the end, all she came up with was a repeating chorus of _why_ echoing in her head as she felt her eyes begin burning.

_Azula will hear about this, she'll get you out, the guard was making stuff up._

_Why, why would they do this to me?_

_It doesn't matter, you're going to be fine, someone will get you out._

_Why? Agni, what have I done to deserve this?_

_If Azula doesn't come, then Akira. He'll fix this._

_No. Not after what happened on the ferry._

_He'll come._

_He's not coming._

She felt the tears running as everything came back to that line. Azula didn't care, and even when Akira came back from wherever he was, he _wasn't coming_. The dirt-stained floor blurred below her, then out of nowhere a voice called out.

"New arrival? Don't worry, we're all here. I'm Midori. What's your name?" Searching her blurred surroundings for the source of the voice, she only found the walls, "Who-who's there?"

"I'm Midori. I know you're scared, but you don't have to worry. It's going to be all right."

"Midori? Where are you?"

"Next cell over, I think. Lihui is on my other side. She says hi."

"H-hi, both of you. I'm--I'm Ty Lee. I don't know why I'm in here."

"Wrong place, wrong time? It's how we ended up in here. The three of us are trophies for the Princess."

"Wait, there's three of you?"

"Yeah, she's on your other side. She's our leader."

"Wow, your leader?"

"Yeah, she's the greatest. I think she's the reason Lihui and I haven't given up yet. Her and Iroh."

"Iroh? Wait, how do you know about Iroh?"

She heard weak laughter, "_Everybody_ in here knows about Iroh. They keep him in a private cell, but there's a guard, don't know her name, she's always telling others about stuff he's said or done while she was there. They tell everybody else, and sooner or later we all know. He found out, I think, and now he gives her stuff to say to us. Mostly stuff aimed for the general population, how it's never too late to turn your life around, be a good person and all that. Some of it, though...It's like he knows some of us don't belong here, and he keeps telling us how we're going to get out someday, how we're all gonna be free. I can't believe someone would lock up such a nice guy."

"It's complicated. I guess I could explain if you want, but it kinda takes a while."

"Ty Lee, we've got all the time in the world."

"Okay, here goes, I guess..."

She didn't know how long they talked, but she explained everything as best she could--Iroh's past, what she knew of his journeys with Zuko, what she had heard about the North Pole, and on until the coup in the Earth Kingdom and his arrest. Midori would occasionally yell over a summary of whatever she was saying to Lihui, and when she spoke about the coup in Ba Sing Se, she peppered her with questions.

"How did you get by the wall? I've heard that the city was invincible."

"Well, first we tried this massive drill, but that didn't work out so well because it got sabotaged by the Avatar and his friends."

"The Avatar? Wait, did you _fight_ the _Avatar_?"

"No, I never did, that was always Azula. I usually switched off with Mai between his travelling companions. But anyway, once the drill failed, we started hunting for another way around. We found these Earth Kingdom warriors, I don't remember what they called themselves, something like--"

"Shhh! Someone's coming, and they hate us talking!" No sooner had Midori fallen silent than Ty Lee heard footsteps approaching. They got close to her cell, then stopped in the cell with the third girl, who had been silent so far.

"Well, are you going to be any fun today?" Ty Lee recognized Azula's voice instantly.

"I hope the spirits throw you in the darkest pit of the Spirit World they can find, you evil, heartless b--"

"I'd watch my tongue, you insolent tramp. Keep talking like that, and I might have it removed."

"He'll come, witch. He'll come and he'll get all of us out and you'll be sorry you were ever _born_. You'll see, he'll come, and--"

"And why hasn't he come yet? _Hmm?_ Surely you don't believe he's still looking for you--if he's even alive."

_"Sokka's alive! He's alive and he's going to find us and destroy you!"_

"My, you _are_ in a good mood today. Unfortunately, I have other business to attend to." Suddenly, Azula was standing at the bars to her cell, accompanied by a strange man in a thick robe. Strange, in that one arm was gone, the sleeve of the man's robe hanging loose at his side.

"Ty Lee, Ty Lee, _what_ am I supposed to do with you? I hear reports of a rogue soldier in the capital, and when the Minister of Domestic Intelligence does a little research, _your's_ is the name that appears. Strange, isn't it, how the one's closest to you are the ones who betray you?"

"I didn't do anything, Azula. This is all a big misunderstanding!"

"Is it now?" Azula's voice had suddenly frozen over, and Ty Lee felt her stomach tie up in knots as the man accompanying her slowly slid a key into the door and stepped inside.

"I believe we've met before, Miss Ty Lee. However, I wouldn't expect you to remember."

"Who--who are you?"

"Laos Tim is our Chief Interrogator, and although he normally concerns himself with only the most stubborn spies or saboteurs, he requested this favor."

"You see, I hardly ever forget a face, Miss. And how could I forget the face of the little girl who cost me _this?" _He jabbed a finger at his hanging sleeve, "Do you, by any chance remember the warehouse, little girl? Yes, I see you do. Have you ever had to feel a burning wooden stake drive itself into your arm? Have you ever had to go through the experience of having a limb removed, of feeling the bone saw even through the pain drugs they give?" He slid up next to her, whispering in her ear with a silky, almost seductive voice that instantly terrified her, "I would say you owe me a _lot_, wouldn't you? And you can be assured, _you will pay for everything_." He slid back out of the door, his face expressionless as the gate once again clanged shut.

"You should get some rest. I will be back in two hours. In the meantime, Miss Suki, why don't you tell your new friend of all our good times together?" The man's laughter echoed down the hallway as his footsteps receded after Azula.

Suddenly, something clicked. _I'm kinda involved with Suki._ The water-tribe boy from Ba Sing Se? Wait, so he--she--?

"Midori, you're from the Kyoshi, aren't you?"

"Huh? Yeah, but how did you--"

"I'm sorry. For everything."

* * *

_The fire surrounds him, swirling in dozens of colors as shapes rise and fall into the flames. He doesn't know how long he's been here, but it feels like he's been waiting for this for years._

_A shape appears out of the fire, or at least he thinks it's a shape. It's shining as brightly as the sun, and the brilliant fire dims beside the figure as it slowly advances._

_"Who--who are you?"_

_"You know who I am, young warrior. I am he who protected you from the Emperor's wrath, and I continue to give you the strength to survive."_

_"I'm sorry, I still don't understand."_

_"I am Agni. I appear before you thus as a warning and a promise."_

_"What? Wait, back up, who's the Emperor?"_

_"He is the one who rules the Empire of the Sun, the Fire Nation by your words."_

_"Wait, you were--so that really was you. Thank you."_

_"I shall be there to protect you as much as my power allows, but be warned that the spirits have been weakened by this war, just as the earth itself tires of the blood poured into its veins. Should the Fire Nation win this war, they will stop only when all benders but their own are hunted down and destroyed. Fire shall consume the world, and soon it will pass from life unto death forever more. I tell you this as a warning, and as a way that you might see what you must do."_

_"Wait, why are you telling _me_ this? I'm just a soldier--what can I possibly do?"_

_"You may be one, but you connect to many. You must use those connections to aid the Avatar in his quest to stop the war before Sozen's Comet returns. It is the only way." As he watched, the figure began to fade as the fires around him flickered out one by one._

_"Wait! Please, tell me more! What am I supposed to do now?"_

_"It is the only way, Akira Hideyoshi. The only way..."_

**Okay, so that was satisfying, creepy, and downright wierd--and I'm the one who wrote it. Seriously, I've been really debating whether I should up the rating, but I want to know what someone else thinks! If people are fine with it remaining T, I'd love to leave it that way, but I'm not afraid to change it to M if that means I can continue making the story the way it needs to be. At any rate, faithful readers, congratulations on sticking with me this far, and I hope you keep on reading!**

**--NullChronicler--**


	22. Experiments in Inhumanity

**Hello, and welcome to the next exciting episode of Walking a Wire. 1700 hits, and I haven't even hit Day of Black Sun yet. Amazing, simply amazing. In other news, I still own nothing Avatar beyond DVD's, so I hope you enjoy the story!**

**P.S. This chapter was written nearly exclusively while listening to Metallica, so any "What the..." moments are partially their fault.**

**Chapter XXII: Experiments in Inhumanity**

"So, how goes the progress in your 'interrogation'? I know it's only been a week, but I was just curious."

"She knows nothing, or else she is far beyond _my_ methods. On the other hand, she is remarkably resiliant and has a most impressive vocal range. Even more so than the Kyoshi, which itself is a feat. I plan to explore matters more thoroughly after the eclipse, but business has been keeping me of late."

"Do you remember my conditions?"

"Of course, no visible marks. I assure you, we are doing _nothing_ that would be noticed without a _thorough_ examination."

"Good, although as for your plans after the eclipse, you may have to cancel them."

"Princess?"

"Don't worry, you shall recieve all the details soon. But for now, we must prepare for the Avatar and his ridiculous invasion plan. Tomorrow is the eclipse, and Father and I are very busy. You may go now."

* * *

"Thank you for bringing us all the way out here."

"It was nothing, anything to help the Avatar and end this awful war." Ashani looked out over the hidden bay where they had set up camp. Tomorrow morning the invasion fleet would arrive, and the push to topple the Fire Nation would begin.

"So, have you gotten any better on the last technique I showed you?" Ashani smiled as she went through the movements, bringing her hands apart with a swirling column of air between them.

"Wow, that's great! It took me a _month_ to get the hang of that!" Aang was literally jumping with excitement, much to Ashani's amusement.

"Well, I've had a wonderful teacher." She looked out over the group's campsite, where Katara and Sokka were, as per usual, arguing about setting up the tents while Toph lay on top of her own and idly drummed her fingers along the edge with a decidedly bored expression.

"Before travelling to this site with you, I had no idea you kids were so--_self-sufficient_. I almost feel like a burden."

"Oh no you're not a burden at all! It's--it's actually kinda nice having you here."

"Thank you, Avatar Aang. Although, I do believe it would be best to set up our own tents now."

"Oh! Yeah, uh right..."

* * *

He pushed through the torch-lit hallways, willing himself onward as he felt his throbbing head give a particularly nasty jolt. Ling's words continued to run through his mind, along with the ever-clear warning of the dream conversation and a growing fear of what he was going to face in the cell.

_Just calm down and think clearly. Run through the objectives again._

_Talk with Ty Lee, rejoin the Wolves and talk with them, meet Ling and recieve orders on what the heck we're supposed to do on the Day of Black Sun, relay orders to the Wolves, sleep through said Eclipse if at all possible, aided by whatever Yarin recommends to get rid of this blasted headache._

"Excuse me, Sir, but no one's allowed access to that corridor unless it's the Princess or her Chief Interrogator." The pudgy guard hurriedly placed himself between Akira and the heavy doorway.

"Are you stupid or devoted?" He frowned as he ran a hand through his hair--he would have liked to have worn the armor for this, but it would have only made him more exhausted than he was and worsened his headache. _A week of solid sleep, according to Ling, and I feel like I haven't slept in a week. Figures._

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm not allowed to let anyone in except the Princess or her--"

"Yeah, I heard you the first time." He raised his gauntlet so the Captain's emblem was readily visible, "And you're not _letting_ me in--"

He gave the command, and the heat-activated climbing spike sprung from its housing, stopping dangerously close to the man's nose.

"I'm _going _in, and if anyone disbelieves you, tell them it was a High Guard, White Unit. They think we're all crazy anyway."

"Y-yes Sir. G-go right in."

"Thank you. See how easy it is when you're reasonable?"

As the door swung open, he roughly pushed the pudgy man aside and stepped forward into the darker corridor. As the door began to shut behind him, he stuck out a foot and whispered back to the guard, "If this door isn't opened the moment I want to come out, I'm going to be _extremely_ annoyed, understand?" After recieving a terrified nod, he let the door continue shutting and walked onward.

The first thing he noticed was the smell. In the prison outside, it certainly hadn't been a garden of fire-lilies, but in _here_...Blocking out the scents of blood and far worse, he slowly scanned the cells. Sad, broken faces met him, often with broken bodies to match. If they hadn't put them through a special training session on coping with battlefield injuries, he thought he would have been physically sick every two steps. _This isn't a prison. It's a nightmare playroom for a madman._

Burns were expected. What he saw, however, were intricate designs sprawling across skin with surgical precision and, he was sure, surgical patience. Cuts, stab wounds were expected, but not administered with the eye and training of an acupuncturist. This went beyond interrogation, beyond _reason_.

"Please, let Ty Lee be okay. Agni, _please_." Rounding a corner, he saw a final set of cells coming to an end with an unfinished stone barrier, left purposefully to allow for expansion. Trying very hard not to think about what this row might reveal, he pushed himself forward.

The first cell he came to held a pale-skinned girl with dark brown hair, looking surprisingly whole amid this horror camp. As he looked, however, she spat out a mouthful of something distressingly similar to blood, and he saw the pale cream of a tooth amid the crimson. He simply shook his head and moved on to the next cell, and felt his heart stop, fall into his boots, and hit everything on the way down.

"Ty Lee..."

The pale, wasted girl hanging from the ceiling, clothed in shredded prison rags was nearly unrecognizable. Her braid was gone, and the ends of what hair remained looked burned. Only the fact that her raised face was unharmed allowed recognition, and when her eyes met his, all he saw were dead brown mirrors in place of the dancing sparkle that normally shone through.

"Agni, have mercy. Ty Lee, I'm sorry I left. I--I'm sorry." He could feel the bar heating under his hand, but knew that his armor would melt before the treated metal would do more than glow, "I never would have left--I never _should_ have left, not without--"

"What could you have done?" The voice asking the question was nearly inaudible, reduced to a hoarse whisper that was just as out of place as the deadened eyes.

"I--I don't know, but I could have done _something!_ Instead, I leave and you get--"

"Do you know about the festival yet?"

He felt a chill run through the room, but he forced himself to respond. "White Unit has been ordered to attend, to _keep order_. 'Keep order', of _course_, and those comments of Azula had _nothing_ to do with it."

"So you know what's going to happen."

"No, not yet."

"Oh. So, they didn't tell you that I'm--"

"No, they told us about--about _that_. What I meant is that I don't know if it's going to happen or not."

"Akira, don't--"

"I'm not going to sit still. Ling--he talked to me on the way back from Sodai. He told me a lot of things, and I didn't believe him at first, but up until now I wasn't sure what to believe, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. It _hurt_, Ty Lee, and I know that sounds stupid, but--"

"I understand. I can't blame you--you're a soldier, sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the rest."

"_Agni, _are you _insane?_ Do you actually think--nevermind. The point is, it was almost physical, how much that confusion hurt, and I wish to every spirit that would listen that it hadn't taken this to show me, but--" He let his head hit the bars as he let out a deep breath, "I'd rather feel this pain than nothing at all. That's why, if I can convince the Wolves, we're going to do something about this."

"And if you don't?"

"I don't think they would attack me, if that's what you're asking."

"Ty Lee, who's your friend?" Akira stiffened at the new voice, but Ty Lee called back cheerfully, "It's Akira. He's come back."

"I told you he would. He was too nice a guy not to."

"_Midori!_"

"Still standing there? Tell him to come over here and say hi!" Akira opened his mouth to reply, but approaching footsteps cut him off. Turning, he spotted a tall, thin sillhouette standing at the end of the corridor.

"And who might you be? The mythical Akira, I assume?" The man smoothly moved across the torchlit distance, and Akira noticed the man appeared thin due to a missing arm. Glancing at Ty Lee for an explanation, he saw her quickly shut down, reverting to the mutely terrified doll he had found when he entered.

"Yes--yes, I'm Captain Hideyoshi. The Wolves will be at the festival tomorrow, and I was wondering just who the Princess had lined up for slaughter." He smiled good-naturedly at the man as he pushed past him, "Oh, and sir, whoever you are--"

"Yes?"

The knife flashed in the torchlight, and the man let out a hissing screech as he fell backward. Looking up from the floor, his baleful stare was lessened by the thin line of blood across the bridge of his nose.

"Don't give me a reason to do that again, or you'll have an eye to go with that missing arm."

"_Why you--!"_

"Let me guess, if the Princess finds out, I'm dead? You'll burn before I will, you sadist son of a baboon-dog." He felt the door shudder in the frame as it slammed behind him, and he wiped the blade on the guard's tunic as he blindly rushed from the building.

**I'd just like to take a moment to point out the complete awesomeness that is MacFie. Parts of a Whole and its sequal, Clasp, contain some of the best OC's I've seen--possibly ever. The story is wonderful, all the character's actions feel natural, and the war's end and aftermath are very well done.**

**I would also like to give props to the story Broken Wing by taffy0823, for its wonderful treatment of the Freedom Fighters--Jet and Longshot especially--and the interesting OC it introduces. Well, faithful readers, until next time!**

**--NullChronicler--**


	23. Day of Black Sun: Setting the Pieces

**Hello again, faithful readers! My newest chapter has come, and I am extending a plea for anyone who dares be my beta/editor/whatever for future chapters. I feel my work might be slipping somewhat, and with the story reaching a crucial point, I want it to be as polished as possible, and for that I think I need someone reviewing my work before it goes live. Just say something in a review or PM, and I'll gladly get in touch with you.**

**Really not much else to say, except enjoy--oh, and this is the first of a little three-part 'saga' centered around the Day of Black Sun. You know the disclaimer, so go ahead and enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter XXIII: Day of Black Sun--Setting the Pieces**

Standing at the back of the bay, Aang scanned the grey morning waters for any sign of the approaching fleet. Seeing nothing but a solid layer of mist seeping in from the sea, he slumped down onto a rock to wait. Soon becoming aware of another approaching, he smiled as Katara walked over to sit on another of the low rocks. After a brief glance of acknowledgment, both turned to watch the mist creeping over the waves. Time slid by without much notice, until Katara finally broke the spell.

"So, I guess this is it, huh?"

"What?" Aang looked over at the Waterbender, noticing how, although proudly returning to her Water Tribe dress, she had yet to replace her hair loops this morning, leaving the dark brown waves to hang loosely across her shoulders and back. She really was beautiful, with her tanned skin constrasting perfectly with the blues of the cloth, but she was a fighter too, and after traveling across the world with her, he just wanted her to _know_--

"Aang, hello? Are you even listening?" Snapping back to reality, he thought briefly about lying, but knowing Katara she would call him on it anyway.

"Maybe." He felt a blush rising in his cheeks as he wondered if Katara had guessed he was staring. _Again._

"I said, this is the Day of Black Sun, the event we've been working towards for most of Spring and on into Summer, and now it's here, and this could finally be the end." She smiled at Aang, "This could be the end of the war, Aang. If we defeat the Fire Nation here, we could end all this fighting, All the soldiers could go home to their families--"

"And Aang could work up the nerve to tell you he loves you." Both jumped at the sudden arrival of the Blind Bandit, a name she had taken to using once again in her frequent con games and pranks against Fire Nation citizenry. Katara recovered first, although she was distinctly red in the face as she rounded on the diminuitive girl.

"Toph! Wh-what are you talking about, is this another of your pranks?"

"Yeah, Toph! You're--you're just making stuff up to, uh, to mess with us, aren't you?"

Toph sighed in exasperation, before pointing to Katara, "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, Sweetness, and you," She jabbed a finger into Aang's chest, "_You're lying_. I remember what you said back when I buried Sokka. You said you liked Katara, as in 'liked' her, _remember_?"

"I remember, and I didn't say _anything_! I just agreed with you!" Suddenly realizing what he had just said, Aang went as red as his Fire Nation headband, now being worn by the lemur chittering from his perch on Appa.

"_Aaand_ my work here is done! See ya 'round, Twinkle-Toes!" With a cheshire grin, Toph stomped off towards their camp, leaving Katara and Aang to uncomfortably attempt to look at anything but each other, both failing spectacularly and resulting in twin blushes that would have sent the blind girl into gales of laughter had she seen.

"I--uh, I kind of--well, I mean--"

"Aang, I--I have to tell you...Toph, well she _might,_ in this crazy, wierd roundabout way be kinda, umm, right?"

"What? I got lost at wierd."

Katara sighed and looked down to the sand, "Aang, I--spirits, why is this so _hard?_ I've been all over the world with you, I've watched you grow as the Avatar and as a person, and--and somewhere along the way, I've realized that you're something really special, and--and I think I may be in love with you. No," She looked back up, icy blue meeting stormy grey, "I _know_ I'm in love with you, and I know this is crazy and--and really forward but I just--"

"Katara, it's okay. I understand. I feel the same way. Now let's go eat breakfast, Ashani makes wonderful jook!" Rising from the rock, he leaned down and lightly kissed Katara's forehead before air-bending himself back to the campsite, leaving the dazed Waterbender still sitting on the rock. As she blinked slowly in the gathering light, Sokka could be heard yelling loudly across the bay.

"I'm telling you, my boomerang is _gone! Just plain gone!_ I had it back in that port city, I remember because I was teasing Momo by playing 'fetch' with it, but I haven't seen it since then!" Sighing, Katara rose to return to camp to help look for the missing boomerang as Aang and Ashani both tried to calm the distraught warrior, and the mist continued to creep slowly inward.

_"It was the doctor! He took it, I bet he was working for those Firebenders back in--"_

"Sokka, what use would an old Fire Nation doctor have with a Water Tribe boomerang, assuming he ever _saw_ it." Katara rejoined the campsite, frowning at her brother as he pawed through his bag once more. Finally hanging his head, Sokka just stared out to sea morosely, until his whole face lit up with sheer excitement.

"_It's the fleet!_" He proclaimed, pointing out into the misted waves. Aang and Katara exchanged a glance, before Katara moved up behind her brother, "Um, Sokka, that's just--"

Her next words were cut off, however, when faint outlines began emerging through the fading clouds, resolving into the shapes of Water Tribe schooners, with a very familiar Waterbending Master standing prominently on the deck of the lead ship.

"It's Pakku! And look, Dad's over on the other ship! Aang, come on, we need to get the ships organized so they can dock!" Glad to have her brother thinking of something besides the lost boomerang, Katara happily followed his lead as the kids began guiding the fleet entering the bay.

The invasion of the Fire Nation was about to begin.

* * *

"Alright girls, rise and shine! We have a big day today, and one of you is going to be leaving these accomodations very shortly." Azula's sharp voice roughly pulled Ty Lee from her dreamland escape, and she struggled to shake the sleep from her system as she heard Azula's footsteps stop in front of Suki's cell. The girl had slowly begun entering conversations between the girls, often offering some tale of the Avatar's adventures that Sokka had related to her, always ending the story with an emphatic statement about how Sokka was going to come here and bring the Avatar with him, and they were all going to leave and the war would be over. All three had quickly gotten over Ty Lee's announcement that _she_ had been among the girls who had taken them prisoner--aided by Lihui's amused statement that if _she_ was here as well, she couldn't be _all _bad--and Ty Lee was coming to need the conversations between "visits".

"So, does that mean you're killing one of us for fun, _witch?_" Suki's voice spat.

"No, it means that today is the date of the oft-mentioned Eclipse, when the Avatar and his friends will be foolishly attempting to storm the Fire Nation fortress and attack the Fire Lord."

"See, I told you Sokka would come." The smug tone in her voice was unmistakeable.

"Yes, about that. Unfortunately, your Water Tribe mate has run into some..._trouble_. I'm afraid he won't be coming. _Ever_."

"W-what?"

"You heard me. He's gone, _dead_, and this little invasion is going to end the way it _should_ have back in Ba Sing Se."

"You're lying, why am I even listening to you?"

"Because I happen to have _this._"

"Wha--how did you--" Ty Lee wished she could see what was going on, but all she could do was listen helplessly as Suki's squeak passed between the cells.

"How did I get it? I've told you, girl, the idiot is dead and the Avatar will soon be joining him."

"I--I don't believe you! That's not his, you--you just stole a boomerang out of a museum! _That's not Sokka's_"

"Really? Well, why don't you make sure? I suppose I could allow you that much at least." There was a scraping sound, like metal on metal, and Ty Lee thought that whatever Azula had was being pushed through the bars.

"It's--this is--this is the chip, where he said he hit Zuko's helmet--this, no--this is _impossible!_ _He's not d-dead, do you hear me! I don't care what you s-say, Sokka's c-coming!"_

"Oh, _really?_ Are you sure? Because I think the only way your dear, stupid Sokka is going to come anywhere _near_ this tower is as a _ghost_. Now, although it's very entertaining watching you shatter like cheap porcelain, I have other business here." Azula stood in front of Ty Lee's cell, her face a mask of delighted cruelty as two guards entered the cell and Ty Lee felt the pressure ease from her wrists. Coming down on her feet, her legs gave way and she immediately collapsed against one of the guards, who took the opportunity to bind her hands again behind her back.

"You know where to take her, and just remember--_no marks._ We need her presentable for tomorrow. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to leave before I start smelling like this cess-pit." Following behind the Princess, the guards roughly dragged Ty Lee through the door, leaving it to slam with a ringing finality, as the sound of weak sobbing echoed through the corridor.

* * *

"Alright, everyone knows the plan, are there any questions?" Hakkoda's clear voice rang out over the assembled fighters in the bay, mostly members of either Pakku's star students or his own Water Tribe warriors mixed in with whatever allies he had been requested to pick up on the way here. Finding no complaints, he rolled up his maps and stepped down from the earthen podium, courtesy of Toph. As the men dispersed to talk amongst themselves, he approached his two children, who seemed to be in the middle of a heated disagreement about--well, with them it could be _anything_. Hakkoda sighed as he cleared his throat, startling them both and causing Katara to drop the bowl of food she had been probably preparing to throw at her brother.

"Oh, uh, hi Dad. Umm, I'll just go check on Appa!"

"Don't you mean _Aang?_" Sokka shot back, leaving Katara to throw up her hands in exasperation and storm off.

"Did I miss something just now?" Hakkoda nervously glanced between Katara's retreating back and Sokka's tired form, marvelling at how much both had changed in the intervening time they had been left at the South Pole.

"Nothing, Aang and Katara are just--Toph told me, practically begged me to ask. I'm sorry, Dad, I didn't mean to argue with Katara, especially considering what we're about to do."

Hakkoda leaned over, putting his hand on Sokka's shoulder, "Sokka, you and Katara are brother and sister, there's _going_ to be..._disagreements_. Knowing your sister's temper, I'm surprised you aren't more cut up than you are--" Hakkoda's eyes narrowed as he scanned Sokka's upper arm--he had meant it figuratively, but standing out against the dark skin was a pale scar that looked all-too-familiar.

"Sokka, that's a sword wound on your shoulder, isn't it?"

Sokka's head snapped up, hand immediately going to the thin line before falling limply to his side. "Yeah, there was a Fire Nation soldier, I--I thought I could take him in a fight, but I was wrong. Katara saved me, if she hadn't healed me--" He trailed off, leaving the obvious conclusion hanging in the air.

"Sokka, it's okay, and no, you wouldn't have. Not from a wound like this." Looking into his son's eyes, Hakkoda suddenly realized what he _wasn't _being told, as Sokka shrugged off his shirt to reveal the thick, solid line across his chest.

"I was out for two days, Dad. That's what Katara told me, anyway. I--I know now what it is I have to lose, and it--I just wanted you to know that I finally understand what it is to really be a warrior. You can't be afraid--you have to look at the people you love and know that you could give everything for them, know that you_ would_ give everything to make sure they can keep going."

Hakkoda just continued staring into Sokka's eyes, seeing his youthful fire giving way to something ancient, something he dearly wished his son had never had to face. Gathering up the warrior in a crushing hug, he stared out at the water, painfully blue now that the unnatural mist had been dispelled.

"I'm proud of you, son. I just wish I could have spared you from this, and I hope you can forgive me for doing what I thought I had to."

Ashani watched the two embrace before hurriedly turning away, continuing her search for Aang. Finally finding him resting on top of Appa, she called up to him before throwing an apple into the saddle.

"Ow! Sokka, what was that--oh." Jumping down from Appa, Aang grinned at Ashani as he took a huge bite from the apple.

She sighed, deciding to get it out of the way quickly, "Avatar Aang, I have decided to join you in this battle." The thump of the apple hitting the ground was almost comical, but Aang's face had fallen into a mask of uncertainty.

"I--I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, I know that you're an adult and everything, but what about Ling? What would he say if you got hurt, or-or--"

"I know the risks, Aang. And I know that I would rather die fighting for the future of my people than sit in safety as these other brave souls risked their own lives. I know what my husband would say, and he'd be right--I know that my abilities aren't suitable for battle yet--but I see no other way."

Aang closed his eyes for a moment, but when he returned her gaze, his face was serious, "I won't stop you, and although I would like for you to remain behind some kind of shield, I know that I can only trust you to know what's best for you."

"Thank you, Avatar Aang. I will keep your words in mind."

As Ashani walked away, Aang slumped against a rock with a pained expression. He hadn't wanted _this_, allowing a novice Airbender into a battle against the Fire Nation elite and maybe being responsible for her death! He sighed, only to jump as someone's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." Katara's voice cut through his thoughts, and he gave the girl an honest smile as he turned to face her.

"So, this really _is_ it, isn't it? I heard your dad talking, he said we've got an hour before we launch the ships for the capital."

"I know, and before we leave, I--" A deep blush colored her cheeks as she resolutely looked at Aang, "I thought we might, you know, _talk?_"

"I think I'd like that a lot."

**So, Aang has _finally_ told Katara, even though it took Toph to initiate the whole thing, but nevermind! So, what's going on with Ty Lee, what are the Wolves going to be doing during the eclipse, and what will happen now that Ashani is fighting? Stay tuned for my version of "The Invasion" and "The Eclipse" in the next chapter!**


	24. Day of Black Sun: The InvasionLet the G

**Hello and welcome back! After a long break, Walking a Wire returns with a brand new chapter! This is the second part of my "Day of Black Sun" mini-saga, and boy has it been hard to write! There's the Wolves, Mina, Aang, the prison...you get the idea. And it all has to be timed around the eclipse and around each other.**

**My difficulties aside, there's actually another reason this chapter has been a month in production, and if you want to know who's to blame, head over and check out my new fic Sonic the Hedgehog: Dashing Through Twin Worlds. It's good, I promise.**

**Now just remember that Mike, Brian, and Nick own everything but my OC's, and enjoy the show!**

**Chapter XXIV: Day of Black Sun--The Invasion/Let the Games Begin**

"Very well, White Unit. You have been cleared to proceed, although I expect a full report on exactly _why_ Private Sakomo has been unable to return to barracks in the entire time you've been here."

"Don't worry, you'll see the full report tomorrow morning. Alright, everyone, pack up and let's get moving!" The Wolves left the organizing station behind as they started on the path up the crater wall around the city. Mina found herself bringing up the rear of the column, although she honestly didn't mind.

"So, how ya doing back there, kit?" The man in front of her spoke up, revealing Yarin's voice.

"Why do you keep calling me that? My name's Mina. Would you rather I call you pup?"

Yarin laughed, "Well, guess you got a point there. Anyway, I was just wondering how you were holding up."

"Well, if you ignore the fact that my best friend is in prison for made-up crimes against the Fire Nation, and the only reason _I'm_ not in prison is the fact that I'm staying with you guys, I'm completely fine."

"Good to hear, kit!"

"Whatever, _pup_." They had almost reached the top of the wall when there was a commotion from up ahead. A wave of groans passed down the line, and it soon became apparent that a Komodo Rhino had been spooked by an inept handler, spilling the contents of its wagon all across the path and bringing the entire line to a halt.

"Alright, packs down! We're in no hurry!" Akira's voice carried backward, and Mina unslung her bow and quiver before slumping against the rocks bordering the trail. She absently picked at the leather and metal sheath covering her left arm, as well as the other seemingly random pieces of armor thrown at her by the Guardsmen during their visit to the armory. She had been made to swap out her vest for a lamellar cuirass covered by a short grey tunic, although she had put her foot down on the pants, insisting that the somewhat loose material wouldn't be a problem.

"Blast it, this stupid armor doesn't _fit!_" Jerking the tunic off, she immediately began working at the lacings binding the leather strips together. _Tighten there, loosen a bit over here, fix the fittings there and there..._She was so focused on the armor that she didn't notice Yarin in front of her until he cleared his throat rather loudly. Finally looking up, she saw him jerk his head toward the group of soldiers surrounding them, almost all frozen where they stood or sat.

"What, never seen an archer before?" Mina snapped at them, then returned to her work, only to be interrupted by Yarin again.

"Actually, most of these men haven't seen a _girl_ in months. Besides White Unit, we're surrounded by men from the 302nd Infantry, who've been out fighting in the Earth Kingdom for nearly the past full year."

"And this relates _how_ to me getting my armor to fit right?"

"You're torturing the poor idiots is what you're doing, especially since you apparently prefer that armor to fit tightly. I understand, not wanting it to slip around while you're moving, but you really shouldn't be doing it _now_. I'd get that tunic back on if I were you, unless you _really_ want an excuse to use that hunting knife you're keeping in your boot." Despite his words, Yarin's voice was coming through his helmet as clearly amused.

"You--how did you--?"

"Akira claims to keep four knives on him at all times, as well as his sword and a _jutta_ he's fond of--I'd recognize that bulge in the side of a boot anywhere. Now if only I could figure out where he keeps that fourth knife..." Yarin trailed off as he turned back toward the other Guards, leaving Mina to hurriedly finish one last adjustment and pull the tunic back on. Twisting and stretching, she was glad to feel the armor follow her movements much more closely, and she mentally congratulated herself on figuring out the lacing system quickly. _Maybe if I'd had more than five minutes at the armory, I could have fitted it there._

"They've cleared the mess, we're moving again! Let's go!" Shrugging her bow and quiver back on, Mina joined the Wolves again as they continued their slow march up the side of the crater wall. Finally cresting the walls, they looked out on the fortress plaza, with the sea sparkling beyond in the bright sunlight. On either side the jungle reigned, a heavily fortified path marking its way in from the sea to the wall. Breaking from the main route, they wandered down a side path that branched to several positions along the slope.

"Alright, you all know your assignments, if all goes well we'll meet after the invasion for debriefing and medals all around. If not, well, it's been an honor, and I hope the spirits give us safe passage."

"Come on, Pack Leader, nothing's going to happen!" Yarin's shout nearly made Mina jump, as he turned out to be standing right next to her. _How do they tell each other apart? I can tell rank, but that's it._ The thought annoyed her more than she would like to admit, and she vowed to find some way to differentiate between the soldiers.

"Believe it or not, Yarin, we're not invincible. Unfortunately, I had to recently learn that the hard way. From all reports, this is the biggest push the other nations have made against us in generations, and they have the Avatar on their side to boot. We're going to have a long, hard fight today, and I'm thinking we're going to be tested on our hand-to-hand skills very soon. Private Sakomo?" Mina looked up from where she was adjusting the wrist strap on her arm to see the Captain standing on a rock, a lance planted into the ground for balance, "If it's possible, save your arrows for the eclipse--use whatever those exploding things are tied to your belt." Mina nodded, fingering the bags of fragmented spark rocks she'd learned to use as deadly mid-range projectiles.

Akira turned his attention back to his men, "Okay, as I said, you know your assignments, so let's--" A thundering explosion from the harbor cut him off, and everyone looked to see the geysers shooting from the docks.

"Wolves! Change of plans--Dasi, Private Sakomo, you're going with Kojima, the rest of you, stay sharp." Pulling the lance from the ground, he dropped from the rock as another Guard began waving Mina away from the group. She saw the First Lieutenant's mark on his gauntlet and noted that Kojima had removed his helmet, hiding his chestplate behind a heavy cloak. Wondering why he would be _hiding_ his High Guard armor as much as possible, she joined another cloaked man--Dasi, she assumed--as Kojima began leading them back down the main path, shoving soldiers out of the way as they passed.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"Ling gave us some _unofficial_ orders yesterday--we're heading off to carry them out. You ever run escort for a non-combatent?"

"No, we never drilled for that."

"No time for learning like the present then." Kojima gave one of the shorter soldiers a healthy shove to clear the path, as more explosions could be heard from the harbor and men rushed past them, order forgotten as they scrambled for their posts. Mina looked up as they reached the bottom of the slope, noting that it was just past noon. This afternoon promised to be _very_ interesting.

* * *

_"Healer! I need a healer over here!"_

_"Earthbenders, down those towers, we're getting torn apart down here!"_

_"Artillery incoming!"_

_"Healer!"_

"Aang, we need to neutralize those towers or we'll all be slaughtered right here!" Hakkoda's voice cut through the din of battle as Aang ducked a heavy iron bolt aiming for his head. Looking over at the Water Tribe leader, he just shook his head--_Sokka_ was the guy with the battle plans, _he_ was just a twelve-year-old kid trying not to get killed!

Fortunately, Sokka had the answer once again, "We'll use Appa, he can get up to their level! Come on, Aang, we need those things gone _now!_"

* * *

Mina continued following the two Guardsmen as they rushed around or through knots of men taking up positions along the corridor between the harbor fortress and the crater wall. Explosions puntured a low continuous roar coming from the harbor, and Mina gritted her teeth and pushed onward. Avatar or no Avatar, these people were _not_ invading her home, and she _was_ going to stop them. So caught up was she in these thoughts that she stumbled on loose gravel along the path and nearly went sliding face-first into the dirt.

"Careful, kit. Lose our footing here, it's still a long way down." Dasi hauled her back up and she kept running, although she spared him a glare as she went in response to the name.

More explosions sounded, "They're in the plaza!" Kojima skidded to a stop as they reached the beginning to a path down to the main road.

"This is good and bad, not sure which it is more." Kojima frowned.

"Why good _and_ bad?" Mina asked him.

"Good, because they can be split up in the more open space of the plaza, meaning we can isolate our 'target' without involving a large opposing force. On the other hand, it makes them easy prey for our own forces, which means we have to hurry." Mina and Dasi followed him down the path, as the Sun's edge was caught by another shape moving into its place.

* * *

The dust from the explosion surrounded her, choking and blinding her to the surrounding battle. Ashani tried bending some of the choking air away from her, but met with little success. Her eyes stung as she tried to get her bearings, vaguely aware of several shapes making their way towards her.

"Hey, looks like the Avatar's recruiting helpless women now! Must be getting really desperate, using someone like you for a soldier." The dust-clouded silhouettes resolved into four soldiers, all with weapons at the ready as they advanced on Ashani. Turning to run, she stumbled blindly through the dust and a loose pile of rubble sent her sprawling. She heard the soldiers laugh, and their crunching foosteps came closer.

"We'll take it from here, soldier." The voice was oddly familiar, but Ashani couldn't place it as she rolled over to see two more shapes approaching in the settling haze.

"Huh? Who in Agni's blessed name are you, and why should we listen to you?"

"Because I happen to be a High Guard with orders that involve this one." The familiar voice growled, and a shape pulled one of her attackers up to where they were face-to-face.

"You ain't no High Guard, you're just some free-loading son of a baboon-dog who wants to get some free-" The impact made an audible series of _pop_s as the attacker fell limp. The other three turned on the shapes, only to double over with a yell, grabbing their legs.

"Armor's got a gap at the knee to allow for running, remember?" Another figure approached, and the dust had cleared enough to see that there were two men and a girl, and the men were wearing some kind of coat.

"Did you have to hit him that hard, Kojima?" The other man asked, and Ashani remembered--the name of the young man who had visited Ling was Kojima, wasn't it?

"He deserved it, you heard him."

"Not saying he didn't deserve it, but breaking the man's jaw? I bet even Ozai heard that..._wherever_ he is. Eh, won't matter soon anyway."

"Right, now could you go over and make sure she's alright?" The other man detached himself from Kojima and kneeled next to Ashani.

"I--I'm fine, no need to worry about me."

"Sorry, milady, but I'll decide if I need to worry, alright?" The young man, for that was what he was, gently pressed at several points on her leg, then her arms.

"Is this really necessary? I mean--"

"Never mind him, Ashani, Dasi just wanted to make sure nothing was broken before he got you on your feet. Always the gentlemen, eh Dasi?" Dasi just shook his head and elbowed Kojima hard in the chest before hauling Ashani up by her arm.

Ashani turned to Kojima, "My husband sent you, didn't he?"

Kojima nodded, "Now that we've found you, we have a safe area where you can wait out the battle, then we'll get you back to Ling and we can all laugh about this absurd little episode later. Sound like a plan?"

Ashani pushed off Dasi's hand and glared at the Guardsman, "_No_, it _doesn't._ I'm here fighting for my people's freedom and I don't care what Ling says, I'm _not_ waiting this out in safety and seclusion."

"Ma'am, with all due respect--you're not very good. You're a civilian and I don't want to see you get hurt." Dasi replaced his arm on Ashani's shoulder, only to have it angrily shrugged off again.

"Give me one good reason why I should leave--and I may not be the best fighter, but I _can_ take care of myself!"

"One good reason? Please Ashani, we're just following Ling's orders, it'll be better if--"

"Good reason incoming." Mina noted as Kojima sent a massive flame spear over their heads, shattering the artillery round coming straight for them. He looked back at the Airbender, visibly shaken as Mina began complaining loudly. "They're not even trying anymore! No blasted battle-line, artillery's not even bothering to range in and spot friendlies, and the eclipse is coming!" All looked up then, to see the sun quickly being swallowed by the moon, and could feel the cold creeping in as their bending became weaker.

"Let's move. _Now_ would be nice." Kojima grumbled as Ashani meekly followed the three Fire Nation soldiers across the ruined pathway, up the cliffs to the safe area they had prepared.

* * *

Midori cringed as the door slammed open. Even from around the corner, she could hear it rebound with an impossible crash against the stone wall. After a moment, however, the steady, heavy footfalls made her push herself to the bars in curiosity. Laos Tim's steps were slow and light, almost as though he slid across the ground, and the Princess's were extremely precise and there was always the crack as her heel struck the stone. This was someone else, however, and she strained to see down the dark hallway.

As the visitor turned down the hallway, his footsteps slowed, then stopped--she guessed it was at Suki's cell. She could hear murmered voices, but nothing intelligible. Then, the crack of lightning shook the hallway, and she threw herself to the floor as she waited to wake up in the Spirit World.

"W-what w-w-was that?" Lihui asked as Midori crawled unsteadily back to the doorway. Before she got there, a large pair of feet stepped up to stand in her vision. Slowly moving her eyes upward, she took in the man's massive body, as well as the fact that he seemed to be gently cradling Suki in his bear-like arms.

"My dear lady, could you please move to the back? We do not have much time, and it is painfully slow to use my hands on these bars." Unknowingly nodding, she moved blankly to the back and flattened herself into a corner as the bear-man sat Suki gently behind him. Turning around, he made a series of slow, graceful arcs with his hands, and the hair on Midori's neck stood up just as she realized exactly what he was about to do.

"Oh, spirits..."

* * *

"Aang! The eclipse is starting in thirty seconds! We need to get up there _now_ if we're going to do this!" Sokka pointed up the massive city wall as Aang landed in a tired cloud of dust. Behind him, Hakkoda and Pakku gathered their men as Haru and his father helped their warriors maintain the stone barriers protecting them from Fire Nation artillery. The rest of their motley crew of allies sat inside the shield, eagerly awaiting orders. Aang looked around and sighed as he saw they were all looking at him.

"Listen, I'm just a kid! I don't know what's going to happen and I don't have much of a plan beyond going straight in and challenging the Fire Lord. If anybody has a good plan, it'll be Hakkoda or Tyro or-or maybe Sokka."

"But _you're_ the one we would follow anywhere, Aang." Hakkoda came up and put a hand on the Avatar's shoulder, "I know you may be new to leading men in battle, and I pray it's a skill you never have time to perfect, but the fact remains that _you_ are who the men look to, _you_ are the Avatar, and we will do our best to follow what you say." Aang looked around at the men, women, boys and girls who had gathered around him, seeing determination unanimously written across their faces, and a light of hope in their eyes that he had thought long extenguished.

"Okay everyone, I think I know what we all need to do..."

* * *

"The eclipse! Everyone to the secondary positions, double-time!" Soldiers scattered around them, but a hand signal from Akira kept the Guardsmen in their positions.

"Miss us?" Kojima emerged from behind several boulders, with Dasi leading Ashani along behind. Akira smiled, _Good work, Kojima. Knew I could count on you and Dasi. But where's Mina?_

"Don't worry about me, these lizard-brained slowpokes couldn't keep up with me if I was hopping on one foot." the Yu-Yan piped up, seated comfortably on a boulder a ways up the trail from their position. Torn between amused and furious that she had gone right past them without notice, he threw Kojima's helmet at him, while Dasi fished his from under a rock.

"Okay, the eclipse is starting! You know the assignments, let's move!" As the Guards moved back toward the city, Akira could feel a presence in his mind, a warm sensation that he couldn't pin on anything, but gave him some much-needed confidence in what he was about to do.

_Thank you, Agni._


	25. Day of Black Sun: The EclipseEndgame

**Well, here we are with the next chapter and my final installment to "Day of Black Sun". Just a warning, this is roughly double the length of any other chapter so far, so be prepared. More stuff happened in here than I thought needed to at first, but it's all setting up for one heck of a show coming soon.**

**So, without further ado, remember the disclaimer and enjoy!**

**Chapter XXV: Day of Black Sun--The Eclipse/Endgame**

Midori grunted with the weight, even as she marveled how light the girl felt as she and Lihui supported Suki between them. The bear-man continued to confidently walk on ahead, scattering all but the most foolish guards with a glance, and the rest fell to his sheer strength. As they reached the gates to the prison, Midori had long ago come to the conclusion that he wasn't simply a bear-man in appearance, but really some kind of spirit that had taken human form to pass in this world. Arrows seemed to _just _miss, spears were turned away, blades would not touch him, and the guards seemed either unable or unwilling to use bending against him.

As they approached the heavy front doors, the bear-man simply glared at the gate-keeper and the doors slid open with a rusty groan. The man simply stood on the prison steps for a time, his eyes closed and the wind tossing his long hair around his face. Finally pushing back his hair, he turned to Midori and Lihui.

"Follow me." The man said before turning to the path that led away from the prison compound. As they left the forbidding structure behind, Midori couldn't help but notice that the path was cutting back on itself, heading back towards the mountains they had just come from.

"W-where does this go?"

"Back to the city, my young companions. But don't worry, I have friends there. They will help you." As they started up the side of the great rock wall, a flash of light made the bear-man stop and look around.

"Hmm, it seems this invasion is doing much better than I predicted. Come, we must reach my friend's home quickly if we do not wish to be caught in the fighting." Taking Suki from the two girls, he cradled the listless Kyoshi in his arms as the two girls fell back in step behind him.

* * *

"Aang, we've got a problem!" Sokka yelled up to Aang, who brought his new glider--courtesy of Teo's father--down to a skidding halt in front of the warrior.

"Aang, it's--"

"Ashani, I know. I've been looking for her, and she's not here." Aang said, before turning to meet Katara and Toph hurrying up to him as well.

"Aang, the eclipse only lasts for eight minutes, we have to do this _now_."

"Yeah, unless you blockheads wanna tangle with more guys like Tin Man. Just so you know, Katara, I still think you--"

"Toph, for the last time, I did _not_ heal your nose crooked. Now come on, we can be there with plenty of time if we use Appa."

"I--I guess you're right. Hakkoda, keep looking for Ashani, but do whatever you have to do!"

"Will do, Avatar Aang! Watch yourselves, especially you two!"

"Got it, Dad!" The bison launched with a low roar, carrying the four kids from the top of the crater wall. The city stretched below them, sprawling estates testifying to the powerful nobles that made the city home. The Royal Palace, however, dwarfed them all from the center of the crater, the red and golden tiles on the roof bursting into flame in the afternoon sun. With a low roar, Appa angled down to the gleaming building, Aang's hands turning white as they held the reins.

A blast of air and stone tore the massive doors from their frame as the group rushed into the ornate entrance chamber. With not a soul in sight, Aang motioned for caution as they advanced into the building. Finding naught but empty rooms, Aang began to feel like he was missing something, something obvious and very dangerous.

"Aang, something's wrong. Shouldn't there be, I dunno, _guards_ in the Palace?" Sokka prodded a tapestry with his sword, as though expecting a soldier to come bursting from behind it.

"I _know_ something's wrong, but we don't have the time to figure--"

"Hang on, everybody freeze!" Toph's shout caused Sokka to jump about a foot in the air, but they all obediantly stood still as the Earthbender kneeled down to the floor. A slow smile spread across her face as she abruptly slammed her fist into the ground. When the dust cleared, a slanting tunnel had been punched into the floor, and Toph's arm could be seen waving them downward.

"I caught something as we were walking in, but I didn't believe it at first. Now I think I know what's going on."

"Didn't believe _what_ at first?"

"There's a whole city's worth of tunnels down below, and I bet a whole city's worth of people in them. Also, I'm sensing a large complex directly under us that's made of metal."

"An emergency bunker! It's genius! Even if the city gets invaded, they would have to actually go down into the earth to hunt everyone down, and in the meantime I bet they have escape tunnels going every direction! This is _amazing!_"

"Sokka, are you calling Fire Nation architects _geniuses?_ Come over here, let me check for a head injury." Ignoring his sister, Sokka enthusiastically jumped into the tunnel, closely followed by Aang.

Toph just shrugged, "Whatever makes you happy, lunkhead. I'm just thinking about how much fun I'm going to have completely _surrounded_ by bendable stuff." With that, she disappeared into the ground, Katara giving the chamber one last look before following.

* * *

"So, do you think the Avatar knows what's going on yet?"

"I don't know. Maybe. All I know is that sitting down here doing nothing is a waste of time."

"But with the eclipse--"

"I know, I _know_. Firebenders are useless during the eclipse, but I'd like to think I can hold my own with my swords. I just feel so _helpless_ down here while the invasion is literally right over us."

"Come on, Zuko, lighten up a bit. Your father just wants you to be safe."

"He wants me out of the way, you mean."

"Whatever, I know your dad's been kind of..._off_ lately."

"_Off?_ He's put his favorite daughter in burn wraps, and even though he knows I didn't capture _or_ kill the Avatar he's treating _me_ like I'm some kind of _war hero!_"

"Relax, okay? You sound like you'd rather he hated you."

"...It's what I'm used to. Anything else doesn't feel right."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"It's okay, I'm sorry for yelling earlier. It's just...while I was in the Earth Kingdom with Iroh, we may have not had it easy, but there was always something worth _doing_. Now that I'm back, I look around and see nothing that's really _worth it_. Everything's going towards winning this Agni-cursed war, and I don't want any part of it."

"Does your father know you've gone subversive?"

"Blast it, Mai, I'm being serious!"

"So am I. You know what'll happen if anybody finds out."

"Yeah, and your point? Can I help it if maybe I actually had someone who _cared_ about me for once, who took an interest in me beyond pointing out my weaknesses and shortcomings? Iroh was more of a father to me than the glorious, all-powerful Fire Lord Ozai _ever_ was!"

"Calm down, someone's going to hear. Listen, even if you feel that way, there's not much you can do about it. Iroh's in prison and your father controls everything in this city. Even if you did get him out, where would you go?"

"It doesn't matter, I just--"

"Yes, it does matter. If you don't have a plan going in, you're probably not going to come up with one as you go. It just doesn't work that way."

"Well, why don't _you_ think of a plan?"

"I did, but it can't work yet."

"Why not?"

"Because of Azula. I don't know what's going on between her and your father and until I do, I'm not going to cause any more trouble."

"So you're letting my uncle sit in prison for _Azula?_ Azula doesn't need your help, she doesn't need _anyone's_ help. She's better off on her own."

"If you would just calm down and look at the whole situation for once, you'd see that there are political moves and power games going on under your nose and that Azula figures in nearly all of them. Listen, I'd love to stay and argue all day, but I'm getting tired. I'll meet you tomorrow at that big festival thing, okay?"

"Wait, you're going to the festival?"

"I've heard there's going to be some good entertainment, including an Agni Kai match between Azula and somebody. Sounds interesting, so yeah, I'll look around."

"Okay, I'll meet you outside your room tomorrow. See you then."

"Bye."

* * *

"This'll have to be the last door, Aang. We've only got two minutes until the eclipse is over, and it's probably going to take us that long just to get back to the surface."

"Okay, let's try--" A frightened squeak cut him off and they turned to see a young man duck into a doorway. He wasn't quite quick enough, however, and Sokka wedged his sword into the closing crack and rammed his shoulder into the door. The door crashed against the wall to reveal a young boy flattening himself against the back wall of a storage room. Sokka reached in and hauled the boy out to stand nose-to-nose with him.

"P-please d-d-don't hurt me! I-I'll tell you w-w-whatever you need to k-know, I just w-wanna g-get home!"

"Tell us where the Fire Lord's hiding." Aang commanded.

The boy looked confused for a moment, then frantically started gesturing down the hallway, "M-my brother said the commander was in a room down that way, it was down this really long staircase that said it went to the kitchens and it had a huge Fire Nation symbol on it I swear!"

"And how does your brother know anything? Come to think of it, how old are you anyway? Shouldn't you be in the army or something?"

The boy shook his head quickly, "I-I'm thirteen, b-but my brother's in the army and they said my mom needed me at home, and my brother's in the army and they're th-the only ones who know anything about w-what's going on down here."

"Alright, you've been helpful. Go back to hiding." With that, Sokka shoved the boy back into the storage room and pulled the door shut, then turned to Aang, "Well?"

"Well, what? You heard him, down that way, look for a long set of stairs that supposedly goes to the kitchen."

"No, I meant do you still want to keep going? We've only got a minute-and-a-half left, and--"

"We've come this far, I'm not backing down now. Everybody on the surface is counting on us to win, we _have_ to win." Aang took a few steps down the hallway before turning back to look at his friends, "You guys coming?"

"Right behind ya, Aang. Let's kick some Fire Lord butt!" With Toph's enthusiastic support, Aang led the way down the hallway, slowing only to scan for a sign of the staircase. Finally finding a sign reading "Kitchens" next to a solid-looking metal door, he skidded to a halt and was nearly run over by Katara.

"Well, the kid _did_ say, "Kitchens". You ready?" Recieving only a quick nod, Sokka grabbed the metal latch and shoved.

And kept shoving.

"Umm, a little h--"

"Move it, let the _master_ work." splaying her hands across the door, Toph stood in silent concentration before bringing her arm back and thrusting her hand into the center of the door. A massive crack appeared, then widened as her other arm jabbed in. With a shriek of pulling metal, followed by the crash of the locking mechanism falling out onto the floor, the Earthbender triumphantly pushed through the demolished metal slab to stand in a dimly lit passageway. As Aang joined her, he let out a frustrated sigh.

"This doesn't go anywhere! It's just a dead end." What had at first appeared to be a true passage now revealed itself to be a small, bare room made of rock. As he began sliding back through the door, however, he felt Toph's hand close on his arm and roughly jerk him back to stand beside her. "Hey, what did you do that for?"

"C'mon, Aang, don't tell me you've slacked on your training _that_ much! That wall isn't supposed to be there. Watch!" Grabbing the stone wall in front of them, she pulled and the entire thing gave way to reveal...

"Stairs! We found it!" Sokka's gleeful shout probably saved Aang from a rather frank appraisal of his training schedule, and he took the opening to brush by Toph and airbend himself down a flight of stairs ahead of the others. The stairs seemed endless, constantly cutting back on themselves or heading off in a new direction, twice heading back up only to drop off sharply again. Nearly falling down one of these surprise drop-offs, Aang came face-to-face with a massive door. This time, he _did _get run over by Katara, with Sokka and even Toph following not too far behind. After disentangling themselves, with several apologies and leaving Toph rather irate and Aang and Katara both rather pink in the face, the group stood in front of the door, emblazoned with the Fire Nation crest.

"Forty seconds."

"Be quiet, Sokka."

"I'm just saying--"

The door was blasted inward by a mixture of air and stone, and the group ran into the room with weapons drawn. Then they froze, looks of determination quickly giving way to confusion and apprehension.

"What, surprised to see me? Well, don't be. Father told me to kill you, and you _don't_ argue with Father."

"Umm, actually we're kinda surprised that you've gotten rid of a lot of that armor you're always wearing." Sokka's observation was at least partly true, and Azula's mouth twitched in an amused smile as she leisurely spun in place. Most of Azula's usual armor was indeed missing, in fact it seemed she was wearing it more for show than anything else. She had on gauntlets which reached almost to her elbows, and a chest-piece that had attached plates guarding her shoulders. Some kind of protective wrap covered her waist and upper legs, and she wore a simple set of boots that approached her knees. In the gaps between pieces, pale yellow fabric could be seen fitting snugly to every bare inch of skin.

As Katara waved an experimental hand over her brother's face, Azula's ghost of a smile fell back into her usually severe expression. "Unfortunately, I don't have time for you to stare. Dai Li, get rid of them." As shocked as they were, the gang was still able to dodge the stone hands that shot from the ceiling as four Dai Li agents literally fell upon them. As Katara lashed out with her water and Sokka's blade rang from stone impacts, Azula simply looked on with an amused grin.

"Oh, and when you kill them, make it painful. I deserve some satisfaction from this."

* * *

"Chief Hakkoda, the eclipse will be completely over in only twenty seconds and I see no sign of the Avatar." The Mechanist was sweating profusely as the afternoon sun began to reclaim its place in the sky, and Hakkoda couldn't help but repress a shiver that threatened to break his calm exterior. Sokka and Katara were with Aang, they would be safe. But why hadn't they returned by now? Surely a helpless old politician couldn't take this much time to subdue?

"Something's gone wrong. They should have been back by now."

"Don't worry, Hakkoda, they'll pull through. Nothing's ever stopped them before, and I for one think those kids have a better chance down there than _we_ do up _here_. Now, we need to prepare the defenses." Bato tried to move the chief from his spot, but Hakkoda gently slid his arm off and remained where he was.

"No need to worry about defenses, my son and that young Teo lad have already seen to it. The tanks have been set up in a ring, with earth walls locking them together. They'll provide shelter and we can fire through the side ports in the tanks, plus we're standing on a practically endless supply of ammunition. I say we trust the Avatar and wait here." Recieving a tired nod from the two Water Tribe warriors, Tyro left to find Haru, as Bato replaced his arm on Hakkoda's shoulder.

"We're all worried about them, but they'll make it through. Sokka's smart, he won't let anybody get hurt."

"Bato, please, it's--I-I don't want to lose them. Not now, not when we're so close to having this war done with, when I'm so close to holding my children and not having to worry about anything beyond what the next day's fishing trip will bring in. Sokka's--he's nearly a man now, and I, I don't want--"

"It's going to be fine. Right now, though, the men need to see Chief Hakkoda, and that means no doubts. Come on, if your son's half as hard-headed as you are, then there's nothing to worry about."

* * *

The wall next to him exploded as Aang scrambled to get out of the way of multiple incoming earthen pillars. Across the room, Toph was holding off three of the agents at once while Katara was locked in a battle of wills over control of several mud tentacles that were currently trying to restrain both of them. Sokka had abandoned his opponent to join the two already facing Aang and now was charging a very relaxed Azula. The reason for her calm was soon made apparent as a stone spire burst from under the Water Tribe warrior and he very nearly found himself impaled upon several more spikes aiming for his gut. Rolling away from the assualt, he noticed one of the Dai Li was hidden in an alcove near the ceiling. _Plan..._

As he dove into another evasive maneuver he reached for his club, and as he came to a stop he hurled it with every ounce of strength in his arm. The expression on the man's face was almost as satisfying as the resounding _crack!_ as the club struck home. The man and weapon fell together, and Sokka rescued his club just before it followed the Dai Li into a ragdoll flop onto the floor of the chamber. Turning with both sword and club in hand, he faced the Princess and watched about six emotions play across her face before it settled into one of supreme irritation. Abruptly, however, the corners of her mouth twitched upward and she let out a shallow laugh.

"What's so funny?" The nonplussed warrior asked, tightening his grip on the weapons.

"Oh, it's not really funny. I would say..._ironic_. You see, just this morning I had a very entertaining conversation with one of my _favorite_ prisoners, and she finally realized that you weren't coming to rescue her. Oh, if only you had been a day or two earlier, but oh well, you can always find anoth--" Her next words were cut off as Sokka brought his club up and into her shoulder. Letting out a sharp hiss, Azula fell back from the blow and lashed out with a kick that the warrior shrugged off, bringing the club down on the extended limb and sending her to the ground. Holding the tip of his blade in her face, he kneeled down to look her in the eye.

"_Where. Is. Suki?"_ He was vaguely aware of an earthen explosion somewhere to his left, accompanied by several yells and a very un-manly scream from somewhere else, but his attention was focused solely on the Fire Nation princess.

"And just _why_ should I tell _you?_" The princess hissed, before her eyes widened to roughly the size of moon-peaches.

"If I press any harder I'll draw blood, and I _really _don't think you want that. _Answer the question, Azula._"

"Sokka, calm down, I don't--" In the split second that Katara distracted him, Azula made her move. Pulling her head back, she shoved the blade away and punched him square in the mouth before flipping up off the ground and catching him again with one heel. Landing several feet back, she turned to run before a small spike of stone sent her sprawling again.

"Alright, Azula. I think we all know that without your little guards surrounding you, there's nowhere left for you to go. Just make this easier on all of us and--wait a second, why are you wearing those?" Following Katara's finger, Aang saw only the pale fabric covering Azula's stomach. He looked up quizzically at the Waterbender as Sokka stood up again, rubbing his face.

"Wearing _what?_ You're going to have to be more specific."

"Those wraps. I recognize them now, they're burn wraps."

"Oh? And just how would _you_ know anything about _Fire Nation_ medicine?" Azula shot back, rubbing her elbow from the fall.

"L--a man in the city took us in, and he had an extensive first aid set. His wife showed me what everything was for." Katara reached into a pouch on her belt and emerged with several different items, "These are for chills, this is a medicated bandage that won't come off if it gets wet, and these, umm, I'm not sure what these do but I _know_ what I'm talking about, Azula. The burn medication in the bandages stains them that pale yellow color."

"Okay, fine, so you _do_ know a little. I guess even peasants can be taught. Well, this has been a wonderfully educational conversation, but I'm getting tired, so--" Bringing her foot around, she blasted out a wave of flame that forced them all back. Taking the opening, Azula punched a blast at Sokka. The warrior dodged it easily enough, but not the knee that caught him in the temple and sent him sliding across the floor. Not satisfied, the Princess produced a flame whip as she turned and lashed out at Katara. The whip was blocked, but it did manage to distract her for a crucial moment. Long enough for a barely conscious Dai Li to fire his rock glove into her back.

"_Katara!_" Aang immediately broke off his attack to cushion Katara's fall as Toph buried the offending agent in the floor. Azula pressed her attack, sending blasts of flame in wide arcs. Aang spun his staff into an air shield to block the attacks, but his defensive action was doing nothing to actually end the fight, and Azula seemed inexhaustible. At the edge of his vision Aang saw a small explosion of dust along the ground, and Azula suddenly stiffened, then collapsed onto her hands and knees as Toph walked triumphantly over to her side.

"Woah, Toph, what did you do?"

The Earthbender smiled sweetly, "Oh, nothing much, just ground a wave of _very_ tiny stone daggers into her skin. I heard what Katara was talking about earlier, and since her skin's sensitive anyway..."

"Toph!"

"Alright, alright, don't go all soft on me, Twinkle-Toes. I can take 'em out, watch." With a hand gesture, a puff of dust rose from across the bandages and Azula jerked again before attempting to push herself to a crouch. Unfortunately, she only got as far as "attempting" before Toph kicked a supporting arm out from under her and she fell again.

"Alright, fine, you win. What do you want, to use me as a hostage to make Father listen to you? Well, you'll be sorely disappointed--Father wouldn't be caught _dead_ negotiating with the likes of _you_." Azula spat out, before spitting out a mouthful of dirt, "Honestly, you might as well kill me now and save yourselves the trouble later."

"As much as I would enjoy that, you're not worth it." Sokka had rejoined Aang and Toph, holding his head and supporting Katara, who was holding her back with an obviously pained expression and couldn't seem to stand up straight without wincing.

"What are you _talking_ about? I'm a _Princess_, I'm _royalty_, do you realize what killing me would do to the Fire Nation?"

"From what I've heard, it might make your dad a little miffed. Then again, if he cared enough to do _this_, I'd say he wouldn't really mind one way or the other." This got a reaction, as Azula's head snapped up and she locked eyes with Sokka.

"_What did you say?_"

"I said I know what happened. We've got a 'connection' with some of the Palace staff and he told us everything. Well, at least the important bits, like how you insulted your dad and he got a little mad about it or something and then just went plain crazy."

"You will _not_ talk about my _father_, the _Fire Lord_, in such a--" She seemed to choke on the words and simply spluttered for a moment before Sokka gently pushed her into the gap of a steel support pillar. Picking up on the hint, Toph immediately bent the sides of the gap inward, pinning Azula's arms at her sides and leaving the furious and bewildered royal with a decidedly lost expression on her face.

"See ya around, Crazy Fire Witch." With that, Toph led the way as the group began leaving the room. As they reached the doorway, however, Azula yelled across the room.

"_All of your friends are either dead or captured! And I can guarantee there _will_ be retribution for this!_"

"Huh? Oh no, the eclipse ended _two minutes ago!_" Sokka looked down with alarm at the little timepiece as Aang felt his brain freeze up around one rather significant fact.

"We left Appa out on the steps of the Palace, what if he--" Nearly knocking over the others with the blast of wind, he rocketed out of the room and promptly crashed into the arms of several waiting soldiers. Slamming down his staff to blast himself free, he felt his arms nearly wrench themselves free of their sockets as someone maintained an iron grip on the staff. Spinning around, he felt cold metal wrap him in a bear hug from behind and bindings snap around his feet. As a foul-smelling rag was forced into his mouth, whoever was behind him began hurriedly whispering.

"Listen, Avatar Aang. Your allies are being rounded up as we speak, and your bison has been caged just outside the city. I know this is uncomfortable, but it's the only way anyone will believe us. Now _listen_," This was punctuated by a vigorous shake, and Aang became slightly frantic as a piece of cloth was wrapped over his mouth and nose and a hood was jammed over his head, "We're going to get you to someplace safe, someplace where we can work out what your next move should be. Relax, don't resist, and everything will work out _fine_. If you want to make this interesting, be my guest, but I shoud warn you, it's the middle of the afternoon in the middle of a dormant volcano and we just got our bending back."

"Oh, and one more thing." The voice became a low growl and Aang could feel a tinge of fear begin eating into him, "I keep four knives on me at all times, plus a variety of useful little monsters depending on the situation, and I don't appreciate having some Water Tribe tramp give me a good show of what a heart attack might feel like. Now, I can be _extremely_ creative in how I _use_ those knives, and I've got a pretty good knowledge of human anatomy to help out. I would normally despise myself for months afterward for doing this, but you're the Avatar and personal principle has to be put aside for the greater good. To make it simple, if you won't go along for your own safety, think of your pretty little friend. Understand?

"_Uhh heggkk yuhh!"_

"I know, kid. I know. _Move 'em!_" Aang felt a sharp prod in the back and began walking, before an arm on his shoulder spun hiim around roughly and pulled him to a stop in a different direction. He could hear laughter following this, and he seethed as he tried his bonds and found that he could do little more than wiggle his fingers. Forced along by nudges in the back and pulls at his shoulders, he quickly lost any sense of where they might be. Several times he was roughly pulled to the side and found himself crushed against a wall. Finally an arm pulled him to a stop and the hood was unceremoniously pulled off, revealing Ling standing next to a very nervous Ashani.

"Got 'em out fine, now we need to be getting back to our posts. See ya tomorrow, sir!" As his bonds fell away Aang spat out the gag and spun around to see a small crowd of cloaked figures round a corner and disappear. Turning angrily to Ling, he opened his mouth only to be silenced by Katara's hand on his arm.

"Look, I know that wasn't pleasent, but we don't have time to be angry with each other." Aang noticed Katara was now wearing a faded red cloak, as were Toph and Sokka.

"I know that you're probably confused, and I'm sorry. My boys said they could pass your friends off as Rank Guards if they were found, but not you. Too recognizeable, so they had to make it look like you had been captured. The point is, those were _my_ boys, and that was most definitely _not_ according to the Fire Lord's plan, so there's nothing to worry about. That 'invasion' plan of yours fell through, so we have to get you somewhere safe for a while. Follow me."

"No. I'm not going to hide again. There are too many people who are counting on me, and I'm not about to let them down again." Reaching for his staff, he remembered that it had been taken by the soldiers.

"If _this_ is what you're looking for, you're not getting it." Toph hefted the staff slung across her shoulders.

"And why _not?_ That's _my staff!_"

"You can't go out there, Aang. You would just get hurt and captured."

"And then probably killed." Sokka pointed out, earning a glare from his sister, "What? We all know the Fire Lord's through playing around, and he's starting to go nuts anyway." He walked over and pressed a hand on Aang's other arm, "It isn't what any of us wanted, and I had hoped we wouldn't have to use my little plan, but--"

"Wait, _you_ came up with this?"

"Yeah, I did, in case the invasion didn't work." Sokka ignored Aang's glare as he steered him over to the adults and transferred him to Ashani, "We _can_ do this, we just need to get out of sight for a bit and get into a position where we can do some damage. It's just like the drill--if we want to finish this, we've got to do it from the inside."

"Not sure what you're talking about, but we've stood here long enough. We'll be safer back at my home, it's not too far from here." Aang sighed, then pushed Katara and Sokka's arms off and walked to the edge of the tunnel, head down.

"For what it's worth, Twinkle-Toes, that guy didn't mean what he said."

"Huh?"

Toph walked up beside him, "I may be blind, but I've got pretty good hearing to make up for it, and I heard what Tin Man was telling you about Katara. Well, don't worry, he was lying through his teeth. 'Course, you would have been able to tell that _yourself_ if you hadn't been _slacking off _in your training. As soon as we find a good spot, you're gonna be catching up and _then some_, got it?" Aang just flopped down onto the ground.

"Come on, Avatar, we need to be going. Eventually, someone will figure they need to search around here, and I want to be safely at home with a good alibi cooked up. Also, I need to talk to you about something that you could really help with." Ling reached down and gave Aang and arm up as Ashani and Katara exited the tunnel, whispering urgently about something.

"What, is there something _else_ I'm supposed to fail miserably at?"

"Now we don't have time for that kind of attitude, Avatar. You won't fail, because my boys are going to be backing you up on this one. We've got a..._personal_ interest in this going off without a hitch, and trust me, if anything goes wrong it's going to go wrong _big_. We'll need all the help we can get, so that's where you and your friends come in."

"What can _we_ do if _those _guys can't handle it?" Aang said, pointing back to the slowly shrinking tunnel entrance.

"Guess we'll find out together tomorrow."

**And thus ends my little three-part mini-saga-episode-thing. And a notice to all thirty of you that have made it this far, it's probably going to be a while before the next chapter. As in, probably the middle to end of May. Gotta love college. **

**Stay true, faithful readers, and I _shall_ return!**

**--NullChronicler--**


	26. The Arena Ultimatum

**Hello again, and please don't hurt me! I have finally returned to Walking a Wire, and I hope that I can start getting chapters up regularly again. In the meantime, for those of you who were wondering where Ty Lee was dragged off to...here ya go.**

**And now, the chapter! I still own zip beyond my OC's**

**Chapter XXVI: The Arena Ultimatum**

The sun's rays shook her from sleep, although the effort to actually open her eyes just wasn't worth it. She knew that she would see only the two guards leering at her from the other side of the enclosure, and if she looked down she would see the shredded remains of the prison rags she had worn for a week of eternities. Her head pounded, but then so did most of her body as she struggled into a sitting position. Holding her hands out, she was at least grateful that they were no longer bound. A small blessing, though, in light of the fact that she could barely _feel_ them, let alone move them.

"That awful-smelling medicine," She said to herself, before folding them back against her stomach. Every few hours, the guards would rub some greenish-blue ointment into her wrists and her hands would fall into a buzzing numbness. Then…she shook her head violently to banish the thoughts, but it wasn't working anymore. She relived the sequence again and again, feeling the room grow colder around her with each repetition.

_"Ty Lee, are you here or not?"_ Azula's yell snapped her back to reality and she slowly raised her head to look at the armored chestplate standing in front of her. Stepping back, Azula seemed satisfied as she nodded to the guards, "Get her ready, we have to leave the salve time to wear off before the event." Dragging her to her feet, the guards moved her over to a chair in the corner of the room. Ty Lee let herself drift off again, until one of the guards slapped her back to reality. Trying to focus, she saw him holding out a pink sleeve and trying to force her arm through. Numbly moving her arm, she watched as the familiar shade slid across her skin again.

_It's mine. My old clothes._ Somehow, the realization wasn't comforting. She slumped against the back wall of the small holding cell, hugging her knees to her chest with hands that she could barely feel. She thought about what was coming, and what Azula had told her last night.

_"You know what's going to happen tomorrow, don't you?"_

_"He'll come, he-he said he would."_

_"Please, Ty Lee. What have I been telling you all night? Do you really think that he, that _anyone,_ would throw everything away like that?"_

_"Y-yes. I do, and he will."_

_Azula sighed, "Look, I know you're good at disconnecting yourself from reality, but this is going too far even for you. I guess we'll just start at the beginning. Your precious savior is a High Guard. A High Guard Captain, to be specific."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"High Guardsmen are chosen for a variety ot talents, be they in combat, espionage, psychological warfare, or just plain stubbornness and devotion to fulfilling their objectives. However, they all have one defining characteristic that makes them worthy of the elevation. They are _completely, utterly devoted_ to the Fire Nation. That means that there is nothing and no one they will not pass up if they are ordered to for the good of this nation. Captain Hideyoshi and his men have been ordered to provide security and to not interfere with the proceedings, by order of my father. They will _not_ disobey a direct order from the Fire Lord, it's just not how they've been made."_

_"They--they aren't _made_, Azula. They're people too, and--"_

_"And what? And they might take pity on a traitorous little girl just because she has a pretty face? Please, Ty Lee, we realize that these men don't get a lot of...free time, but you're nothing special to any of them, including that precious captain of yours. If he wanted, he could have others brought to him, and I can guarentee they would look a lot better than you do. Think about it, there's nothing about you that he couldn't get somewhere else. Oh, and this is all assuming he could even _think_ about disobeying directives from the Fire Lord himself._

_"You--I--"_

_Azula's face hardened, "If you won't listen to reason, maybe you'll listen to something a bit more _forceful_. Because of our friendship, I've protected you from the worst of Laos Tim's..._attentions_, and the guards have all been too afraid of me to try anything. Well I can see now, maybe that needs to change. No one's going to see much of you after the event, so it really doesn't matter what I allow to happen anymore. Whenever you want to listen to me, I'll be waiting. You two!" She yelled to the two guards waiting near the door, who hurriedly scrambled to attention. Azula's smile turned cruel, and she waved a hand at the imprisoned girl, "Rub the salve into her wrists, then why don't you two have a little fun. I think you've deserved it."_

_"AZULA!"_

"It's too late. Everything's too late." Her stomach gave another painful throb and she let herself slip into darkness.

* * *

Akira slid his helmet back into place with a frustrated groan. The Wolves had fanned out across the growing crowds filling the stands, but so far everything was calm. As Kojima squeezed between two rows of seats, Akira waved him over, "Are they here?"

"Yeah, the Ty family got here a few minutes ago. Of course they had seats reserved for them, explained it away somehow as something to do with the father. It's really odd, the mother looks...well, _foreign_. It's probably nothing, though. The kids looked alright."

"Kids?"

"Triplets. Cute kids, _way_ too much energy for her. I thought about getting a Rank Guard on it."

"You really don't like them, do you?"

"Hey, privilege of promotion. We survived it, so can they. Anyway, neither of them knows exactly why they were requested to come here, so they're fine for now. The Fire Lord's son is also here, in case you were interested."

"Really? I thought he hated everything to do with his sister. Why would he come to this?"

"From what I can tell, he got dragged here by his girlfriend. Some depressing girl, lots of dark colors. She has Dasi's sense of humor, though."

"Dasi doesn't _have_ a sense of humor."

"Exactly."

"Well, whatever. What about _them_?"

"Hidden, but they're ready."

"Fine, let's get this slaughter over with."

"Don't say that. _Please_ don't say that." Akira just shrugged and moved back to scan the rows again as Kojima moved on. As Akira turned to continue his rounds, his vision was blocked by a blur of crimson and violet and he found himself pressed against a wall, a dagger angled under his helmet.

"Wondering when I'd run into you, Anzin." The dagger slid back into his attacker's sleeve as the man backed up laughing, only to crush Akira in an enthusiastically returned embrace.

"It's been forever, I thought you'd finally disappeared out in Dirt Land. Yet, here you are pulling some cushy security detail in the middle of the capital city! Man, you _have_ to tell me how you managed this, we're just here on layover for a few days and then we're headed back out, some island in the Greater South Sea I think. Anyway, that's not important. This is--hey, those wouldn't happen to be captain's markings, would they?"

"Yeah, I got promoted after my last trip to the Earth Kingdom, which apparently you still haven't stopped calling 'Dirt Land'. I see you've done alright for yourself as well, that was a general's knife wasn't it?"

Anzin flipped the knife out into his palm with a flourish, "Right in one, got it off some old guy just south of Ba Sing Se, _he_ certainly didn't need it anymore. General..._Long_, was it? No, no, it was S-something. Oh, and the new regulation tents for non-benders are flammable only if you cut off part of the top coating."

"That's good to know, although I don't think we'll be attacking 'Dirt Landers' for a while. Did anyone tell you what's going on?"

Anzin's face darkened for a moment, but he pulled it back to level as he answered, "Yeah, only I haven't told my unit yet. I hate to be saying this, but I'm not sure if they would follow me on this one. I mean, after this we'll be--"

"I know, and I can understand if you want to stay out of it. The Wolves are the only ones who'll--"

"That's just it, though. I _am_ a Wolf, and I'm helping. I'm not forgetting my brothers, _pack leader_. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to harrass Yarin a bit for his scrawny wife."

"Wait, what?" Now Akira was totally confused.

Anzin laughed, "From what I've heard, no one in the lighted districts has seen him for nearly a week, and every time I've passed him today he's standing around with some Yu-Yan. If anyone could get Yarin off the wine for more than two days straight, there's _something_ going on."

"Mina? Yarin and _Mina?_ You're insane, Anzin, both of them would kill you for even _thinking_ it. And speaking of killing..." Anzin followed his gaze out to the arena floor, where a short man had stepped out into the center. He lifted a short roll of parchment and his booming voice startled Akira as he began to read.

"In honor of the glorious victory over the attempted destruction of this noble city, as well as the birth of our beloved and honored Fire Lord Sozen to whom all our great progress is due, a very special event has been prepared for this festival! The Princess Azula, in all her great and terrible power, will face off in sacred battle against a traitor to our nation, to our people, and to the royal family itself! I now present to you, our glorious lady of flame, the Princess Azula!" The stands erupted in applause as Azula strode out onto the arena floor, her usual armor being traded for loose cloth leggings and a short-sleeved tunic with the Fire Nation emblem on the back. Akira kept his arms firmly crossed against his armor as the Princess turned and assumed the prepared stance, prompting the short man to turn back to the parchment.

And now, the traitorous witch who is here today to receive her divine punishment, the horrible creature who turned on her life-long friends for a perverse chance at power and glory! I give you the traitor, Ty Lee!"

"Well, the manure's hit it now. I hope Kojima's watching the family, the mother's probably had a heart attack." Waving Anzin onward, Akira made his way to the front of the stands as Ty Lee shuffled out onto the packed earth. Her hair hung loose around her, still only reaching to the base of her neck, and the fact that she was wearing her usually array of pink made for a jarring picture. She slowly turned and nearly collapsed into the same position as Azula, and the announcer backed to the side of the arena before scanning the last of the parchment.

"On your honor and by your duty, this match shall be conducted by the rules set down by our ancestors in sacred law."

"Anzin, it's time. Let's jump the dragon."

"The duel shall begin..._now!_"

* * *

Azula was on her feet even as the final shout echoed around the stands, hands flaring blue in the early afternoon sun. Ty Lee just stared at the flames as Azula sent a blast at her feet. The explosion threw dust and smoke around her, but she slowly walked forward until another blast threw her off her feet. Picking herself up, she continued walking.

"Resigning yourself to judgment is one thing, Ty Lee, but I really wish you at least _look_ like you're fighting back!" A quiet murmering was emanating from around the stands, and Azula spared a comtemptuous glance at the audience before lashing out with a flame whip. The flame struck her in the shoulder and spun her around before she lost her balance and crashed to the arena floor. She could hear the murmering getting louder.

"_Dear Agni, Ty Lee, fight back!_" slowly getting to her feet, Ty Lee faced the Princess.

"I can't win, so why should I? You never fight unless you know you'll win, or else you use people as pawns and shields until you _can!_ I'm not fighting for you anymore, so go ahead! Finish it! _Finish it, you Agni-cursed bitch!"_ Azula's eyes widened at the curse, but quickly narrowed as a spiral of blue fire built around her hand. Tighter and tighter it spiraled, burning now a white-hot flame, until she released the attack straight at Ty Lee. Ty Lee stared back at the blast, until there was a massive explosion and the world spun around her into a whirl of black and red.

When she finally opened her eyes, she was staring at a boot and the packed arena ground. Numbly wondering why she wasn't dead, she rolled onto her side to get a better view. A Guardsman, armor still smoking, was shaking himself as he got to his feet in front of the Princess. It dawned on her that he had taken the attack for her, and another Guard had tackled her out of the way. Azula seemed to be at a loss for words as the Guard next to her moved up to stand roughly half-way between her and Azula, in line with the other Guard.

Finally finding her voice, Azula began talking in a voice that could have frozen a volcano, "May I ask _what_, exactly, are you two _doing?_"

"We're stopping a senseless murder. Or, if you fail to see it that way, we're going bandit. Take your pick." Azula's eyes widened, and her jaw was clenched so tightly it seemed her teeth would crack. Ty Lee could see other shapes moving around her, and as she turned her head several other Guards could be seen slowly approaching, weapons drawn. As she watched the figures, something clicked in the back of her mind--the armor had white markings painted across the red and gold plates.

"Guardsmen, arrest these two!" Azula ordered, her voice shaking with either surprise or fury as a Guardsman, the one who had blocked the flame, pulled a blade from a sheath on his back.

* * *

"Guardsmen, arrest these two!" Akira grinned under the helmet as he calmly drew the blade. Behind him, the Wolves spread out to protect Ty Lee as they fell into defensive stances with their own weapons.

"A great man once said, never allow loyalty to your nation's leaders get in the way of loyalty to your nation. This war _will_ end, but I would rather burn before I see it end under _you_. We're leaving, and we're taking the girl with us."

"You will do no such thing. Grey Unit, arrest Captain Hideyoshi and any of his men that wish to resist." Quickly scanning to either side, he could see the cloaked figures of the Darkwalkers approaching from the side, Anzin in the lead.

"Before we arrest the traitors, I'd like to ask my men a question." Anzin turned around to face his men, "Do any of you think you could grab a mongoose-dragon's tail and go for a little ride? Those who do, slap your left shoulder. Those who don't, slap your right." A chorus of metallic _crunk_s rang out, and Akira couldn't help but grin at the widely used military joke, a bit of professional humor that he doubted the Princess would either know or care about.

"Okay, now that I've got that question answered...Li! Atin! Go and restrain Captain Hideyoshi, he'll help you start your ride. The rest of you, I'm glad to know I can count on you to be loyal." Akira felt his arms grabbed roughly, and the sword was wrenched from his grasp. Then Anzin was standing in front of him, two of the Darkwalkers on either side. Anzin tapped his helmet once, and Akira jerked against his captors, throwing his left shoulder forward in a vain attempt to break their holds. Anzin merely flipped his knife up into his glove and examined it closely. "You know, I never thought I would be here with my old squad leader, and I'm stopping him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Well, I guess nobody can predict their future, can they? _No one_."

"I wouldn't say that. I know there's at least _one _left"

"Really? Well, I should meet that person and kill him. Then the rest of us won't feel so _left out_."

"Okay, I got nothing. Really, you should have played this game with Kojima, he's better with the wordplay."

"Oh well, it can't all be fun and games. Let's get it over with." Turning around to the Guardsman on his left, he said, "Could you hold my knife for a moment?" Then he slammed it up to the hilt into the man's eye slit.

The entire arena seemed to freeze, and then everything blurred into chaos. The other man flanking Anzin was down on the ground, holding his throat as Anzin spun into a crouch, another knife materializing in his hand. The men behind Akira released his arms and his sword was pushed back into his grasp as armored boots crunched into the ground and men began falling. Spinning on one heel, he caught one of the Darkwalkers in the gap between arm plates as another, he guessed either Li or Atin, grabbed one of their attackers by the eye slits and jerked to the side..._hard_. The man fell bonelessly, but by now Akira couldn't watch others, only react to what his surroundings fed him as he heard Azula shouting for soldiers and the arena erupted into noise and madness.

Spotting Ty Lee still mostly lying on the ground, he rushed over to her and pulled her to her feet. She was shaking, breathing shallowly, and a quick look at her face showed that her eyes were dilated to an unhealthy size. _Shock. Not good, but not unexpected._ "Yarin!" He yelled, "Keep her out of the way, she's in shock!" The other Guardsman nodded and began pulling Ty Lee to the edge of the arena. Akira let out a sigh of relief, with Yarin here at least there was _one _thing he didn't have to worry about.

He turned his attention instead to the soldiers that now threatened to surround them. The Darkwalkers had been reduced to only three cloaked men, Li and Atin discarding them as they fell back on either side of Anzin, but a small army of regular soldiers had stormed the arena with spears, polearms, and swords at the ready. He felt a pang of regret as he recognized the 504 marking on their shoulder-plates, wondering if he was going to unknowingly face Shin or Tachi in battle. Then he wiped everything clear and dropped into a fighting stance.

While the ease of defeating the Darkwalkers had been almost entirely because of surprise, it soon became apparent that even the legendary 504th was no match for a squad of High Guardsman. blades flashed, armor melted, and men fell in waves. Akira, however, was becoming increasingly concerned. _Where are those idiot--_

A wave of soldiers suddenly fell, their lower legs encased in solid rock. _Better late than never_. "I was wondering if you had fallen asleep." The diminuitive Earthbender shrugged and brought her foot down, gouging a rock out of the arena floor and shoving soldiers aside like dolls.

"Hey, ask Twinkle-Toes. He kinda froze up for a second, but I think he's okay now." Akira spared the Avatar a glance, noted that the boy was using air blasts to herd the soldiers into the Wolves' attacks, and went back to his seemingly endless opponents.

_Now all we have to do is survive._

**Guess what...it gets crazier. Witness the battle in the arena, in which Zuko and Mai finally join the fray, and the glorious fifteen-second return of Combustion Man! All this and more coming soon!**

**--NullChronicler--**


	27. Fight and Flight

**Hello again! After an extremely long delay, I have finally finished work on Chapter 27 of Walking a Wire and now present it for your viewing pleasure. Much thanks goes out to MacFie, who beta'd this and without whom it wouldn't be nearly as good.**

**And now a little announcement.**

**For those of you who have been living under a rock (or frozen in a massive block of ice), Avatar: The Last Airbender ended on July 19th with an epic four-part spectacle known as Sozin's Comet. After watching it twice and going on Youtube to watch it five more times, I would just like to say that I'm sad to see the ride end. Mr. Shyamalan is doing movies, of course, but I'm gonna miss that funny bald kid on the television. Anyways...the chapter...**

**You remember the part about Mike and Brian owning everything, and the other part that says I own nothing beyond OC's? Good. Now without further interruptions--enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter XXVII: Fight and Flight**

"Please remain calm, there has been a minor accident at the Agni Kai arena and all civilians are asked to return to their homes! We repeat, there is no cause for alarm and please return to your homes in an orderly manner!"

Grumbling festival-goers filed by as more soldiers pushed themselves through in the other direction. Suddenly, the soldier was being towered over by a man clothed in only rough pants and a faded tunic, with a metallic sheath over one arm.

"Sir, we need for all civilians to--_gaah!_" The man's metalllic hand closed around his throat and the soldier felt himself being lifted from the ground, "C-can I help you?" He squeaked, before the man carelessly threw him aside and began moving quickly up the street, a metallic_ clank_ echoing every other step as he heard the sounds of battle bleed from the arena.

--

Akira spun into a crouch, bringing his blade around to stop a lance while blasting several men onto the ground with a wall of flame. Sweat was running down his face, threatening to ruin his vision, but there was no time to stop and fix the problem. _Just fight, and fight, and turn around and keep fighting_. He no longer cared about finesse, he only cared about surviving as the exit gate seemed to shrink away from him.

"Captain, we're starting to get the 302nd in here! Either we get out _now_, or we're burnt chicken!"

"I think I figured that out on my own, Kojima, thanks. We just need a clear path and--"

"Wondered when you were going to ask." Toph shouted over, before sending a wave of stone to clear out a line of soldiers.

"I'm not used to defending a non-combatant against our own forces, okay? This whole situation falls just a bit outside what we drilled for!" Akira snapped back.

"Focus, pack leader! We make mistakes here and we won't be walking out." Kojima called over.

"I _can't_ focus! I'm getting her out of here alive if it kills me!"

"Then I'm taking over! Akira, get Ty Lee. Wolves, aya! Seta, as'de enqueme!"

Moving as one at Kojima's command, the rest of the men pushed forward and bent a wave of flame that drove the soldiers back. Falling into a line, the men blasted another wave and the soldiers were forced back again.

"One more push and we're--" Yarin was cut off as an explosion shook the arena and the men stumbled before regaining their footing, just in time to be thrown by another explosion and a chorus of yelling from the soldiers.

"_What in Agni's blessed name is going on?_" Kojima shouted before catching sight of the towering figure standing in a circle of utter destruction. As he watched, the figure tensed and a knot of soldiers ceased to exist in a blaze of energy.

"Well, at least they've got a target besides us now. Come on!" Leading with a volley of flame, the Wolves pushed onward, Aang and his friends following behind.

Unfortunately, the supposedly simplified escape was anything but. A burst of energy exploded directly in front of them, stopped only by the combined flame shields of three Guardsmen.

"Dasi, Yarin, get over there and--" Kojima was cut off as Aang grabbed his arm.

"No, we'll take care of it." Breaking from the protective formation, Aang brought his staff up to guard, "You guys get out of here, we'll do this."

"Aang, I don't know if--" He shrugged off Katara's hand and began walking out into the maelstrom of battle. Only a few feet out, and an explosion hid the boy behind a curtain of smoke that revealed only panicked soldiers and rocky debris upon clearing. Katara yelled as she and her brother began pursuit, with Toph close behind.

"Sir, they're--"

"Let 'em go!" Kojima yelled, "They've taken care of themselves in worse situations. Watch your own back!"

As if to emphasize the point, several soldiers attempted to break through the side of the Wolves' formation with a coordinated fire-blast. Akira, weighed down by Ty Lee draped across one shoulder, barely got out of the way as the blast was followed up by a line of lances. As he turned to get his one good arm up for a counter, their attackers fell back with a chorus of yells. Looking to the side, he quickly found the source of their retreat, but he couldn't completely believe what he was seeing.

"Tachi! What in Agni's blessed name are you _doing?_" The tallest of the new soldiers slid his faceplate down to reveal one of two soldiers he had spoken to on Ember Island.

"To be perfectly honest, your side looked like a lot more fun than the dead guys." Akira snorted as Tachi continued, "Also, I'm convinced Zuko's going to make a better Fire Lord than his father ever could, and I'd really like for him to have something to rule over besides smoking ruins."

"And how do you plan on survivng this?" Akira said before dodging a spear.

Tachi laughed, pinned the spear to the ground and slammed his elbow into the side of the attacker's helmet. "Simple, really. In the confusion, no one has the time to really recognize anyone. After this, I just worm my way out of association with you and I'm all set for the next crazy stunt you no-doubt have planned."

"Let's just hope we live through _this _one. The Avatar's group left a minute ago to stop Three-Eyes, and we can't leave without them." Akira said.

"Then maybe," Tachi grunted, "you should go after them. With a handful of my men here, one or two of you would be hardly missed."

"Makes as much sense as anything else has today. Kojima!" Akira waved him over, then fought for a moment to unwrap Ty Lee's fingers from his arm, "Here, keep her inside the circle and keep her safe. I'll be back as soon as I can. Dasi! Mina! You're with me, we're going Avatar hunting."

--

"Aang! Aang, _where the heck are you?_" Sokka wandered blindly through the maelstrom of battle, dodging spears, axes, and more fire-blasts than he cared to count. As the battle continued, order apparently went out the window. He could see soldiers all around him engaging each other without realizing that they were probably on the same side, and he had even seen several men from the same unit engaged in a vicious free-for-all a few yards back.

"_Aang!_" Even his own voice sounded thin and weak amid the chaos, and the chances that Aang could hear it were slim to none. He pushed between two soldiers, then slid under a lance thrust that could have taken his head off before coming to a halt at the feet of a very surprised Fire Nation soldier. He could almost hear the wheels turning in the man's brain as he stared dumbly down at the Water Tribe warrior, but he never found out what the man would do.

The flash was painful in its brilliance, and the thick layer of dust thrown into his face didn't help much. Coughing and choking, Sokka managed to get to his feet only to fall down again with a squeak, as the ground in front of him exploded once again and several more soldiers vanished.

Of course, _of course_ he would be here. He hadn't chased them across oceans, islands, and down into the Earth itself just to give up because they were in the middle of the capital city. Combustion Man's foot came down with a hollow _clang_ and his entire body tensed. Sokka could almost see the energy flowing into that stupid third eye on his forehead, and his thoughts whirled in such a frenzy that they might have been making up for the lifetime of things he wouldn't see.

He watched as time slowed down, as the air around the eye warped and the assassin's eyes widened a fraction.

He watched as a shaft of wood embedded itself in the third eye and instantly heated to a white-hot brilliance.

He watched as the brilliantly glowing shaft of wood ignited into an explosion that struck him blind and deaf for a long moment, before he opened his eyes to find a smoking metallic arm speared into the sand not two inches from his forehead.

"Hey! You okay, Water Boy?" Sokka slowly turned his head and looked for the voice, squinting as the afternoon sun hit him in the face. Blinking away the glare, he saw a silhouette standing over him, red and violet flames dancing around one hand and the sun setting ebony hair on fire with gold. After a moment spent staring, he realized that the figure was holding out its hand for him.

"Get back, fire-person!" He yelled, scrambling backward and reaching for his club. His club, however, wasn't resting in his belt and he ended up holding out a broken spear that he had grabbed off of the ground.

"You know the point goes the _other_ way, right? Nevermind, come on." The stranger urged, crouching down to avoid a fire-blast.

"And why would I listen to a fire-person?"

"Because I'm on _your_ side, stupid. Now come on, I'm supposed to round you guys up and we're out of this nuthouse." He found himself hauled up by one arm and forced into a run, nearly shoving the spear in his eye in the process.

"You're--you're a--a _girl?_" He gasped as they wove under, over, and between attackers on every side. Finally making it to a wall, the girl dragged him to the ground and they both flattened themselves against the stone as best they could.

"You are correct, I am a girl. I'm also an archer, a Yu-Yan actually, and I'm on your side. How you manage to survive without being able to tell friends from enemies I'll probably never know, but I'm Mina. Now where is your sister and the Earthbender girl, Ting, Ty, whatsername."

"Uh, Toph?" Sokka volunteered.

"Exactly, where are they?"

"No idea, we got split up pretty quickly. It's complete chaos in there."

"No, _really?_ Stay on my tail, I've found one." She shoved off from the wall and was running back into the fray before Sokka could do more than dumbly rise and peel himself away from the side of the arena. Skidding to a halt, she swung around, grabbed his arm, and he was once more being forced to dodge flames, duck spears, and somehow manage to keep his footing as she dragged him through insanity.

"Which--which one--did you--find?"

"Can your sister tear off metal armor with her bare hands and use it as a pair of fighting gloves?"

"That's gonna be Toph."

--

"_Aang! Sokka! Anybody?_" Katara could barely see two feet in front of her through the bodies, flames, and dust kicked up by hundreds of armored boots. Add to that the fact that her waterskin was bone-dry from deflecting fire-blasts, and she was wondering if she shouldn't just find a nice, quiet corner to hide in until this was over. Then she thought about Aang, who was currently who-knew-where amid the fighting, and she banished any thought of cowardice from her mind. Aang needed her, and if her waterskin was dry, well she'd find water somewhere else.

Emboldened by these couragous thoughts, she resumed her hard slogging through the madness around her. She only covered a few feet, however, before a curtain of azure flame cut across her path. Before she had a chance to react, a blast of wind answered the flame and nearly threw her to the ground.

"_Aang!_"

"_Katara!_" Katara smiled, then froze. Aang's face wasn't happy, but set in a mask of alarm. She found out why as the force of an anvil landed somewhere in her lower back, accompanied by an eating, tearing pain that she had only experienced once before, during Aang's first attempt at Firebending.

The force of the blast pushed her down to her hands and knees, and she stayed that way as she could hear cold laughter from behind her.

"Well look at this, I go looking for the Avatar and I find something extra." Azula's cruel purr was recognizable even over the impossible din of the battle around them. Katara felt another roar of wind rush past her and heard the answering shot of flame, but she felt utterly helpless as she felt a wet, sticky sensation spread across her back.

_Great, and I don't have the water to so much as close the wounds._ So she simply knelt there, trying to slow her breathing and ignore the pain from her back as a trickle of blood ran across her stomach and starting staining the front of her tunic.

_Great, now I'm going to have to wash this. Well, at least these Fire Nation clothes are red to begin with. Forget it, it's ruined already. Why can't it just stay in the spot it came from, instead of running all over the place like..._

_Like water._

--

"Come now, Avatar, I had hoped you would be better than this!" Azula taunted him as she blocked a volley of stone with a wall of flame, using the other hand to send out an azure blast of her own. Aang batted it away and swept his staff across the ground, blowing a wave of dust and gravel into the Princess.

"You hurt Katara!"

"I did, didn't I? And just _what_ do you plan to do about it? _Kill_ me? Go ahead, do it if you can!" Azula spread her arms wide and immediately recieved a large piece of rock to the chest. Another stone struck her in the leg and she fell to one knee. Aang brought his staff down hard, stopping it just in front of her face.

"Go ahead, Avatar. _Do it_." Azula's tone wasn't taunting anymore. There was something serious now behind it, not a game but a challenge, "Take that stupid stick of yours and hit me. Or better yet, use a rock. Crush me, _kill_ me, Avatar. I won't even move." Aang's staff stayed directly over her temple, wavering slightly. Slowly, Aang brought his staff around into an Earthbending stance Toph had shown him once, a technique Shien Fu had used to drive a rock straight from the ground into an opponent. Azula watched him, her golden eyes never leaving his. Aang held the stance, but made no motion.

"I'm waiting, Avatar." Azula purred, "Do your duty, restore the 'balance' you claim to uphold. All it takes is one stone, and you have one less opponent standing between you and the Fire Lord." All around them, the battle raged, but to Aang the sounds were muffled, as though a wall of water were surrounding them. It was so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He could almost see all the horrors this girl had committed reflected in her golden eyes, and Katara...

His muscles tensed, the staff lowered, then he brought it around, swiping across the ground and raising a stone javelin that he fired at the Fire Princess.

Only to shatter harmlessly against the ground beside her.

"If I take a life, even yours, I'll have forsaken everything the monks once stood for. I'm not going to do it, Azula. This battle is over." He turned around slowly, meaning to go back to Katara and help her back to the Wolves. As his eyes left Azula's however, a blue flame snaked around and cut into the back of his leg. Aang cried out, dropping to the ground and grabbing at his calf as the Fire Princess rose.

"Pathetic. Absolutely _pathetic!_ I _gave_ you everything you needed, I thought you might actually show a spine and do something! But _of course_ you'd have to be a scared little lizard-rat and walk away when your enemy isn't so much as _weakened!_ _Pathetic!_" Aang rolled over on his side, bringing Azula back into his vision. A spiral of flame formed around her hand as she brought her arm back. Then she jerked and gasped, staring at the small crimson dagger protruding from her side.

"You think it's pathetic...that he values even _your_ life? No wonder...no wonder you don't ...don't have...any friends."

"Katara!" Pulling himself up into a crouch, he massaged his stinging leg as Katara stepped up to stand over him. Azula vaporized the dagger still wedged under her armor plates, then fired off a blast of flame at Katara. The Waterbender bent a stream of..._something_ from behind her, although he could see her face screwed up in a lot more than simple concentration as both the whip and flame vanished in a cloud of steam.

As Aang got up to one knee, Katara advanced on the Fire Princess. He could now see that the back of her ragged tunic and leggings were plastered to her skin, and what skin he could see looked a few shades paler than normal.

Azula punched out another fire-blast, and Katara barely managed to bring another tendril of liquid from behind her to deflect it, the resulting explosion of steam forcing her back a few paces. From this angle, however, Aang could see only one place it could be coming from, and he could hear Katara's sharp hiss even as she launched the whip at Azula.

_What is she bending? Is she actually using.._.

It certainly wasn't water, yet it drove Azula to the ground before Katara whipped it across her face, leaving a dark stain across one cheek. Azula rolled away as Katara fought to bring the whip back around, and quickly sprang to her feet as she wiped at the stain. For her efforts, however, she only smeared it across more of her face.

Katara barked a weak laugh, "You know Azula, I think that's actually...actually an improvement over...over how you usually look." Azula's eyes widened a fraction as she looked at Katara, then down at her hand, then back at Katara as though looking at someone insane.

"You--this--this is--" Azula's face paled and she swallowed several times very quickly.

"I'm a Waterbender, and...and that _is_ mostly water. I think. Anyway," She smiled almost sweetly at the stunned royal, "Thanks...for...your help, I thought...I thought I was out of water." Another dagger slammed into Azula's armor with a solid _crack_, throwing Azula off balance for a moment. Katara lashed out again with the crimson whip, only for Azula to surround herself with a flame shield that vaporized the whip on contact. The shield swirled and retracted into Azula's fist as she punched straight at Katara.

Aang was on his feet instantly, his staff whirling into an air shield to stop the inferno. Behind him, Katara raised her arms, then brought them back around her before sending multiple tendrils out around Aang to restrain Azula. It only partially worked, however, and soon Azula had vaporized those as well.

"Aang...Aang, we need...to get...out of here." Katara gasped. Aang gritted his teeth as another fire-blast came for him and only barely shunted it out of the way with a column of air. _What do you think I'm trying to do?_ He mentally shot back, but he could still see the smear on Azula's face, easily recognizable now that it had dried under the heat of her flames.

"You can't keep this up for long, Avatar, every second you waste only brings you both closer to--" There was a dull _thunk_ and Azula cut off with a choked cough, then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed in the dirt.

"Sorry, milady, but you were right, this cannot continue." Looking down at the short club he held in his hands, Dasi tossed it over to Aang and Katara. She caught the weapon, staring down at it dumbly.

"Your brother should keep better track of his gear. I found it tossed in the dirt."

"Just get us back to the others, Dasi."

"Will do, Avatar Aang. Follow me."

--

"Captain Hideyoshi, it's certainly been a while." Akira stiffened, then turned to regard the new voice. The Guardsman's armor was spotless, even amidst the dust and smoke around him, and the gold plates and markings on his armor shone under the afternoon sun.

"Captain Yamamoto, what brings you down into the land of us commoners?" The leader of the High Guard Gold Unit, informally known as Dragon Force, removed his helmet and regarded Akira with the air of someone observing a wayward child.

"Oh Captain, if that title still applies, you wound me. I'm simply here to ensure the safety of the royal family from..._undesirables_. Service to the homeland is the highest of all callings, correct? And what nobler way to serve than by taking up arms and laying down your life for the defense of your fellow countrymen?"

"Please stop before I get sick over here. Even supposing you believed half of that, why haven't you found any members of the royal family yet? Or are you just another vulture-wasp circling and looking for a free meal?"

"I would learn respect for your betters, Hideyoshi. Or should I be the one to teach you that respect?" Flames began gathering around his fists as he took up an attack stance.

"_Captain!_ Where the blasted heck are..._there_ you are!" From the corner of his vision, Akira could see Dasi approaching, along with the Avatar who was half-carrying the Waterbender girl. From the other side, he heard a low rumble and a high-pitched squeal, followed by Toph, Mina, and Sokka materializing from a cloud of dust.

"So, enemies and traitors, all gathered together in your futile gestures of defiance against the Fire Nation and her Lord. Well, I suppose the least I can do is wish you good luck in your endeavors and be on my way." With that, Yamamoto replaced his helmet and turned on his heel, disappearing a moment later into the battle.

"Coward." Akira spat, "He knew he didn't have a chance against all of us."

"I dunno, seems like he was pretty smart from where I'm standing." Mina said.

"It doesn't matter, let's just get back to the others and get out of here. I'm assuming, by the lack of huge explosions, that we don't have to worry about Three-Eyes for awhile?"

"_Ever_, actually. Speared him right in that stupid third eye, then watched one last bang." Mina said, "Although I guess I had help from Water Boy here for distracting him. Anyway, I'm all--_Get down!_" Even as Akira threw himself into the dirt, he heard the whistle, a deadly high-pitched scream with an edge that they had been drilled to fear from the beginning of their training. Akira buried his head against his chest and prayed that he heard the slithering, skittering rattle that signaled a hit on armor, or the muffled _thump_ that meant it was now safely buried in the dirt.

_Schunk._

Akira opened his eyes as a suit of armor slammed lifelessly into the dirt.

"_Yu-Yan! Get down!_" somebody yelled.

"_Get down?_ _We'll be sitting turtle-ducks! Get moving!_" Akira sprang to his feet as an arrow impacted the side of his helmet and rang the inside like a gong. He ignored it, focusing only on Dasi. The Guardsman was laying face down in the dirt, and the sand was staining crimson around him. Akira could see a broken arrow shaft on the ground hext to Dasi's helmet as he turned him over. He found the other piece of the shaft protruding from the eye-slit of Dasi's helmet. He stared at it for a moment, willing the innocent-looking stick to be just that, a stick, and Dasi waiting to pull it out and yell, "Surprise!" But Dasi _never_ pulled jokes like that, in fact Akira had never known him to joke at all. The helmet clanked against his leg plates as he let go, letting his arms fall to his sides as he knelt over Dasi.

"C'mon, Captain, we've gotta get out of here. The Avatar can't mess up their aim forever, and I'm starting to get worried at how pale Katara's gotten." Mina said as she knelt beside him, nudging his shoulder plate with her hand.

"Hang on, I need something."

"We don't have time, Captain."

"Then get out of here. I need to get this off of him." He pulled the straps loose that held the helmet on, then began easing it off. Unfortunately, the arrow fragment was too long and the helmet couldn't be removed.

"Captain, leave him!" Mina protested, lightly shaking him as an arrow slammed into the ground barely two yards away.

"Watch it, _Private._" Akira growled, now trying to work the shaft free from the eye-slit. Mina sighed, but she remained crouched beside him as an arrow embedded itself in the dirt a few feet away. The Avatar's air-shield had thrown their aim, true, but Mina knew they only had so much time before the archers figured out how to compensate.

"Captain, I know it's hard but we're in the middle of a battle here, if we can just--"

"_Wach out!_" The arrow impacted harmlessly against the back of Akira's armor, but it was enough. Through Aang's air-shield, Mina could see the archers perched on the top tier of the seats lining the arena. One by one, they all adjusted their aim while yelling something over to the next in line.

_Great. Agni help us, we're toast._

"I've got it, let's go." Mina gratefully turned back to Akira, seeing him shoving the helmet into a cloth bag and sheathing his sword.

"Where'd you get the bag?"

"Used to be his tunic, I burned the extra holes shut and it works, okay? Now let's get moving."

"That's what I've been trying to--heck with it. Avatar, Katara, we're moving!" She felt the roar of the wind die as Aang let the air-shield dissipate. Not a moment too soon, as arrows began striking the ground around them. Mina couldn't help but think that it was some sort of divine timing that they had adjusted their aim exactly when it would actually make them miss.

The run back to the Wolves seemed to go on forever. Mina found herself dodging fewer spears and fire-blasts than before, but it was small comfort when she knew that there were Yu-Yan ringing the arena. And since Aang had been tasked with knocking the incoming arrows down, she and Sokka were left dragging an increasingly unstable Katara along with them.

The Waterbender was barely moving now, stumbling along and frighteningly pale. Her back was a complete mess, dark crimson rivulets running down her legs and leaving footprints in the sand. Mina had heard about the bleeding sickness, men who would recieve the smallest of cuts and bleed for hours without reason. It didn't make sense though--Katara had grown up constantly getting nicked and bruised in the rough life of the Water Tribes, and going up against the Fire Nation Army for almost the past year had to have given her countless other scrapes. So why _now?_

"Nice to have you all back." Kojima called as they rejoined the rest of the Wolves and Tachi's men, "Although it looks like 'in one piece' was a bit too much to ask for. Where's Dasi?"

"Can it and get us out of here!" Akira snapped, shoving the damp cloth bag into Kojima's chestplate and pulling up Ty Lee from where she had been mutely sitting on the ground. A few of the soldiers flinched at the Captain's voice, including Mina, but Kojima hefted the bag, then looked at it for a moment before looking over at Akira and nodding slowly.

"Understood. Wolves, no quarter! Punch our way out, use whatever you think is necessary! And Private Sakomo? If there's any Yu-Yan you don't especially like, now would be the time to do something about it."

"Got it, Lieutenant." Said Mina, drawing her bow, "Where the heck is Senai?"

"Who?" Kojima looked back over at her.

"Idiot I work with, he locked me in an equipment room once and he's a general jerk besides. There you are, you little son of a--" The sharp _twang_ of the bowstring was lost in a roar of flame from the Guardsmen, but Mina almost smiled when one of the archers dropped his bow and grabbed his hand. Another shot, and he fell to the next tier while clawing at his leg. Mina slung her bow, then ducked as two arrows shot over her head.

"Door's clear, _move it!_" Kojima shouted. Mina grabbed Katara's arm again as the Wolves broke their line and sprinted for the arena gate. As she ran, she became aware of Toph slowing down and falling to the back of the group.

"Toph, you okay?" Mina called back to her.

"Fine, Rocky, just get Sugar Queen out of here."

"_Rocky?_" Sokka asked. Mina looked over Katara's head to see the warrior fighting hard not to laugh.

"My little spark rock things, I showed her how I use 'em last night. Seemed pretty impressed, actually. Wanted to know if I could teach her how to throw the things with her Earthbending."

"You impressed _Toph?_ Are you sure?"

"Fairly, now stow the chatter and let's get out of here." As they passed under the arch separating the arena from the festival grounds, Mina heard a massive crunch behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that the arched doorway was now sealed shut with a wall of stone.

"My parents always said it was bad manners to leave the door open." Toph was grinning like a Cheshire owl-cat as she caught up with them. Mina couldn't help it, she starting giggling as their strange procession raced through the deserted festival grounds. As they re-entered the city proper, the Wolves slowed down and Mina allowed herself to relax a fraction.

"How's everybody holding up?" Akira called back to them. Mina noted that he seemed to have abandoned the idea that Ty Lee would go anywhere on her own power and was now carrying her pressed against the chest-plates of his armor.

"I'm fine, but Katara's dead weight. We need a doctor and soon." Sokka nodded weakly next to her, seemingly unable to make anything more than a small squeak.

"We'll have everything we need in a minute. Toph, it's this house." Akira said, tapping on the door to a rundown, horribly shabby cottage wedged between two other equally shabby buildings.

"Why are we at the edge of the industrial sector? And what are we supposed to find inside some crumbling hovel that would help us?"

"It's not what's _in_ the house, Private Sakomo, but what's _under_ the house." A familiar voice growled from behind them.

"Sarge!" The Wolves cheered as Ling stepped out from an alley across the street, cases and bags slung over his shoulders or strapped all over his body. Ashani was behind him, carrying a small rucksack and leaning on a large leather case. He noticed the others staring at him and laughed while gesturing at the bags strapped to him.

"Like my new look? I would've brought more, but the wife made me leave a few things behind."

Ashani snorted, "I'm not having you dragging your old armor across the capital city just so you can try to play soldier with boys nearly young enough to be your sons."

"Why I...what do you mean, they _are _my boys! And I'm not _that _old! I'm...it's..." Ashani smiled and patted Ling on the arm as he spluttered to a halt. Behind them, Yarin hoisted the leather case as Anzin releaved the bags from Ling's shoulders. As he stretched his newly freed arms, Ling nodded at the bag tied around Kojima's arm, "What's in there that's making such a mess of that bag?"

"Dasi, sir. He--he didn't make it." Kojima said in a monotone.

"Oh. I--I see. It--how did it...?" Ling trailed off, gesturing at the bag.

"Yu-Yan snipers at the arena." Akira cut across him loudly, "I--I'm sorry sir. My fault. Bad tactics...stupid...sorry." By the time he had finished, Mina had to strain to hear him.

"Well then, I...well, let's just get inside." Ling cleared his throat loudly, "Middle of the street's no place to stand around gabbing like old crones, eh? Come on, White Unit, shift it!" The Wolves jumped and Anzin nodded to Li and Atin, who proceeded to open the door and rush inside. A moment later a voice called out, "Clear!" and the rest of the group filed in. The building had been completely stripped of it's furniture, but it was still a tight fit for the expanding crowd attempting to fit inside.

"Alright Toph, wherever you are, you know what to do!" Ling shouted.

"Got it!" Toph shouted back. Mina yelped as the ground beneath their feet fell away, leaving them on a rapidly descending square of stone. Even that soon fading to oblivion as the surface light failed, and several of the group began breathing quickly and shallowly as the stone shaft continued to deepen. Just when it seemed someone was going to pass out or start screaming, the descent slowed and stopped before a wall of the shaft fell away and bathed everyone in a deep red light.

Ling cleared his throat loudly, "Welcome to the Dragon's Spine, a cozy little series of caverns that everyone else forgot about fifty years ago. All of the tunnels are blocked up with rockslides or magma, so noone will even want to check down here." he proudly stated as the group filed out into a massive cavern lit by several pools of freely flowing lava.

"And why would _we_ want to stay down here? There's lava over there, for the love of--" Sokka hurriedly quieted as Ling glared at him.

"We want to stay here, Sokka, because there are heated springs down here, and the tunnels leading from the main chamber stretch up into the modern tunnel system all over the city." Ling pointed to Mina, "Mina, you and Sokka follow Toph to the springs and find some way to wake Katara up enough to help herself. Akira, if it's possible to get her off your arm, hand Ty Lee over to Ashani. Aang, you're coming with me to find a doctor. The rest of you, set up camp and then get yourselves situated. It's been a long day."

--

"Katara? Sugar Queen, wake up!" Toph shouted, but Katara was out cold. After Toph had isolated them from Sokka, courtesy of a solid rock wall around the small pool, Mina had set to work on the Waterbender as she tried to remember everything they had ever told her about battlefield medicine.

"Remove any clothing that might interfere with the injured area...check." the archer muttered to herself, cutting away the last strips of fabric still clinging to the burned skin, "Keep the bleeding area elevated...wait, how do I do that, she needs to be in the water and if I do that she'll drown!"

"Relax, she's a healer and if we can just get her to wake up she can heal herself." Toph resumed poking and prodding Katara, several times shouting in her ear. "I give up, this is..." Her face suddenly broke into an evil grin, "about to get a lot more fun. This _always_ gets Katara up."

"Umm, Toph, what are you going to...wait, you're going to--?" Toph waved her silent before she pulled her finger out of her mouth and immediately jammed it into Katara's ear.

Mina wondered if she would ever hear normally again. Katara could _really_ yell.

"Well, that's just--" She never got any further as a blinding blue light surrounded her, along with a humming sound that seemed to vibrate in her bones even as the glow faded to leave Katara looking around with a dazed expression.

"Welcome back, Sweetness."

--

"Are you worried?" Ling asked. Aang slowly nodded as the shabby houses slid by them.

"If something happens to Katara, if she ever... I don't think I could..."

"Relax, son. Nothing's going to happen to her with everybody there. I bet they've found a hot spring already and she's patched herself together good as new."

"Yeah..."

"I said relax. Do I have to make that an order?"

"No, sir." Both grinned at each other for a moment, then resumed their walk.

"I'm sorry about Dasi."

"I am too. He was a good lad, they all are, but he never got the chance to find out what he really wanted to do with his life. That's what kills me, the fact that all these boys have ever known is war. They know strategy, they know a dozen ways to kill you with a pair of chopsticks and an old boot, but they know nothing of what life outside the Army is supposed to be like. They don't even have real burials!" Ling was agitated now, pounding one fist into his leg with what Aang was sure was unnecessary force, "That's why they need the helmet, see. A soldier's burial, just melt the armor down and put a stone over it." Ling had slowed to a crawl, now examining his fingernails thoroughly.

Aang cast around for something to change the subject, "A pair of chopsticks?"

Ling smiled weakly, "Okay, I was exaggerating a bit, but Akira _is_ good with those knives. Yarin's got his spear and Kojima, well he's pretty good at the lance himself. It's actually the basic weapon that all soldiers learn first. The spear, I mean. It teaches them control, since you can't really slash with it and get anywhere. You have to thrust, to stab and if you're even a hair off target you've left yourself overextended and open and your opponent has you done. For the Guardsmen, they can learn whatever discipline they like once they complete spear training, but most stick with what they know. Am I boring you?"

"No, no, I just never really stopped to think about them as ever having to train to be...what they are."

"Yes, it is hard. It's always hard to see the enemy as human, with their own lives and troubles. I'm as happy as a lobster-clam to hear Yarin might be off the drink, but losing a brother like that...I just hope he can keep himself together. Akira too, he's pulling himself apart over that girl."

"Ty Lee? I know they're friends, but--"

"You don't know the half of it, son. You probably don't fully understand what happened today, but I'll see if I can explain. Guardsmen are trained from an early age and practically grow up with the Army. They're trained to obey authority _completely_, even though they are encouraged to fulfill commands in whatever way they think best. For a High Guard, much less a captain like Akira, to disobey direct orders from the blasted Royal Family is so unheard-of as to be absurd. He's just taken his entire _life_ and thrown it out the window, for what? Actually, a better question would probably be, 'For who?'"

"For...wait, he did this for--?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't the only reason. The Wolves have always been seen as the 'loosest' of the High Guard Units, so I guess it surprised fewer people than if, say, Gold Unit or Red Unit had defected." Ling turned into an alley, Aang having to drop behind to fit in the confined space, "That being said, I've watched out for those boys for years now and I usually have a good idea of what's going on under those helmets."

"I'm still confused, what does this have to do with--?"

"I'm getting to that. Because of their training and..._different_ upbringing, they tend to make snap judgments on personality and character that define their entire relationship with you. Either you earn their complete and total devotion, or else you might as well kill yourself now and save them the trouble."

Aang followed Ling out of the alley and started up another street, "So, you're saying that he's attached himself to Ty Lee or something? I still don't really get it."

Ling smiled, "No offense, Avatar Aang, but you don't look a day over thirteen at the oldest. Akira's attachment to Ty Lee goes beyond even the normal standard of High Guard devotion. See, if Yarin or Anzin were to meet Ty Lee and take a liking to her, it would be simply as friends and allies. Extremely devoted friends and allies, but nothing more. Akira's attachment is different. Their training seargent before me, a wonderfully gentle man by the name of Nei, left records to help me carry on with his work and warned me several times that I needed to find some way to separate those two."

Ling shook his head and chuckled before gesturing to another alleyway, "The problem with Nei's assessment was that he picked the wrong outcome." Looking behind him, he chuckled again at the Avatar's confused expression, "Well, I've told you this much, might as well tell you this last bit. See, there's two different ways you can deal with a girl waiting for you to come back from war. Or, I suppose in this case, when the girl's fighting right beside you. You can either get yourself all worked up worrying about her and wind up getting someone killed, or you can let her go and focus on winning so that there's still a world out there for her to be happy in."

"But I can't help worrying about Katara! I love her and I'll do anything I can to protect her!"

"And there you have the problem."

"Huh? What problem?" Aang grabbed Ling's arm as they came out of the alley and brought him to a stop, "I'm trying to protect her!"

"Yes, I understand that, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing. But think about what you're saying. What do you need to protect her from? The Fire Nation? Zuko and Azula? Katara isn't a china doll that will break if you let her out of your sight. From what I've heard, she's taken pretty good care of herself in all sorts of scrapes and I'm sure she'll keep taking care of herself."

"So...what you're saying is...I should stop trying to look out for Katara all the time?"

"Oh, keep looking out for her, that's what friends are for. But, I _would_ look very hard at just what kind of person Katara is, and how you plan to fight this war while worrying about things you can't control. Ah, we're here!"

"Wait, this is the same place we started at."

"Exactly."

"But aren't we going to look for a doctor for Katara?"

"We don't need to. Between my boys, Ashani, and the archer, we've got as many qualified battlefield medics as a fully-staffed field hospital. She'll make it, but you were jumping out of your skin. Thought you could use a walk and a little conversation."

"You've done this before, haven't you?"

"How else do you think I convinced Akira that helping you was a good idea? As much as he dislikes the Fire Nation right now, the idea of working with the Avatar still took some getting used to. Now come on and get us back down there, I don't like being up here with the most wanted young man in the Fire Nation."

"Alright, sir."

"Call me Ling, Avatar. I keep telling my boys to stop, but you know how they are."

"Yeah, I think I do." The walls of earth rose up around them as they descended back into the caverns, both occupants of the platform slightly smiling in the darkness.


	28. Reunion

**Well, this took way too long to get written, and I would like to thank you all for being so patient with me. Thanks also go out to GalacticaCAG for giving it a once-over and making the whole thing that much better. And for all of you who looked at it, whether you reviewed or not, you gave me the fuel I needed to get back to typing.**

**And without further ado...enjoy**

**Chapter XXVIII: Reunion**

"So, how is she?" Yarin quietly asked for the third time.

"How should I know? Kojima's the only one outside of the girls that knows anything, and he's only telling Akira. Now shut it and get back to sentry duty." Anzin replied in an annoyed whisper.

"Fine, but I still don't see why we've gotta keep this up. No one's looking for us anymore, not after nearly two days."

"You don't know that, and anyway we have to stay up here when we've got a team on the surface. The Avatar and Mina are out in the city investigating a rumor that has been circulating. They say--"

"Yeah, I heard it too, Anzin," Yarin said, cutting him off, "Something about so-called "ghosts" in the city, small army of 'em that are attacking patrols in all sectors. Almost wish we could get in touch, we could certainly use the help and they obviously know how to keep a low profile."

"Maybe, but how do we know we could work with these guys, assuming they _do_ exist? You know how bad Royal propaganda's been recently."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Blaming all these 'disturbances' on Earth Kingdom terrorists as an excuse to keep the public under the Army's control. Rhino dung, all of it."

"My thoughts exactly. I've been sneaking around since we got back to the capital, and guess what? It's the blasted _Army_ that's creating the disturbances, along with that Agni-cursed Laos Tim and his personal army of 'anti-terrorism' men. I dug a little deeper since then, right up until the festival, and I'm starting to think Ty Lee got a hair too close to what was really going on. Mina too."

"What a wonderful system we live in, eh Anzin?"

"Right you are, Yarin. Almost makes me wish _I_ drank, maybe then I could pretend that all of this wasn't about to come crashing down on our heads."

Yarin scowled at Anzin, but he let the comment slide, "Win or lose in the war, it's going to come crashing down anyway."

"Sure, but hopefully we'll have someone in place who can rebuild it better than before. Zuko's been odd since he came back, according to the servants. Not sure what it means, but he's the only hope the Royal Family has now."

"I suppose--hold it, someone's coming."

"Don't worry, they can't see us for another ten feet. Still, we should probably hide," Yarin shook his head slightly as Anzin's comment, but they quickly faded into the alley opposite the 'tunnel house', safely dark in the late morning sun, and waited. They didn't have to wait long.

"Hey, idiots! I can see you! Now get out of there and let's get the next team sent out." Mina walked past the two Guardsmen and opened the door to the house, Aang following as Anzin and Yarin detached themselves from the walls and crossed the street.

"I still don't get how you can see us. Nobody else can." Anzin grumbled.

"I know where to look, that's all. Oh, and I'm a Yu-Yan _and_ a girl so we're better than you at that sort of thing." Ignoring the two complaining Guardsmen, Mina waved Aang inside and shut the door before the four of them sank into the earthen shaft leading down to the caverns.

----------

"Are they finished yet?" Akira asked. Kojima shook his head, jerking a thumb to the stone curtain surrounding one of the hot springs dotting the cavern.

"C'mon, Pack Leader, it took them nearly a full day before she'd even let them touch her, and even then they couldn't tell much based on her responses."

"Just...just run over what we know again."

"It hasn't changed since the last time you asked." Kojima pulled a small stake from where it was wedged into the pillar Akira was leaning on. The stake had multiple intricate grooves cut into the surface, and a flame was slowly burning at the tip. "If I remember correctly, according to this it's been twenty minutes." Kojima looked over at Akira, "Twenty whole minutes without pestering me--that's some kind of new record for you, isn't it?"

"Just do it, Kojima. It'll make me feel better."

Kojima sighed and replaced the stake in the holder, "Almost all injuries are internal, except for a few areas that were cut and burned." he droned, "All of the wounds were kept open, so Katara was able to heal most of them easily, but there's also several ribs that only time can help. Beyond that--" Kojima broke off as Ashani slid out from behind the stone and waved to him. The talked quietly for a moment, then Ashani went back inside and Kojima shuffled back over to Akira.

"Well?" Akira demanded.

"Well, they've...they've found something else. Took them a while to get her cooperation, but there's...well, its..."

"Spit it out, Kojima. What's wrong?" Kojima fidgeted for a moment before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"If she was one of us, she would have been pulled from duty under Section Nineteen."

"Section...Nineteen?" Akira tried to remember what that section of the military regulations dealt with. The section used to be a joke, considering it could only apply to an officer who...

"Great. This is just Agni-blasted_ great!_" Akira slammed his fist into the stone column he had been leaning on, "What are we supposed to do with...What did she...Those..."

Kojima's hand on his shoulder was a vice, forcing him to stay still, "Calm down, Pack Leader, Ashani said they still don't know the...the extent of the damage, but Katara was going to do everything she could to help."

"Hey, did I miss anything with Pink?" Mina walked up, accompanied by Yarin and Anzin.

"She's Section Nineteen." Akira and Kojima said together. Mina's eyes widened.

"_What?_ _What Agni-cursed piece of complete--"_

Yarin cut across Mina's rapidly lengthening string of curses, "What's Section Nineteen? I think I remember hearing about it once, but it never seemed important."

Anzin slapped him across the back of the head, "That's because it doesn't apply to you, jughead. Since you can't seem to remember regulations, here's the basics." Anzin sighed, then began as though reading from boring lecture notes, "A Section Nineteen discharge is when any officer becomes unable to perform his or her duties due to being compromised by any severe physical trauma rendering the officer unable to continue functioning effectively."

He finished reciting, then examined his gauntlet plate as he continued, "The problem with our current situation, however, is that the only physical trauma accepted as Section Nineteen is loss of a limb, a massive head injury, or a declaration of pregnancy. Even you can figure that one out, Yarin."

Yarin waved him silent, "I remember, you can shut it now. And that 'jughead' comment was low, Anzin."

"I call it as I see it, and that's hard to miss." Anzin replied, pointing at Yarin's leg.

Yarin put a hand over the canteen strapped to his thigh, "Shut it, okay? You never complained before."

Kojima spoke up, "We _did_ complain, Yarin. Several times, but you never listened to us."

"I'm _fine_." Yarin shot back, and he turned to leave.

"We all lost a brother, Yarin," said Akira, "But we all need to be at our best right now, and I don't care what you say, you're not at your best when you're hitting that stuff."

"Then give me something else to hit, _Captain_. Until then, I deal with this _my way_." Taking a swallow from the canteen, he walked on and was soon lost in the perpetual haze that filled the cavern.

"Want me to go after him?" Anzin offered, but Akira shook his head.

"Let him go, we're all working with short fuses right now." Akira said, "I'll talk to him later, now let's hurry up and get the next team up and ready. How about Atin and Sokka? They seem to work well together." Privately, Akira thought that Sokka might as well be a brother to Atin by now. The pair's love of gears and gadgets was almost unnerving at times. _And this was the guy who used to hate anything connected to the Fire Nation on principle. Maybe there's hope for us yet._

"Actually, I need one of them to help me with some stuff down here." Kojima spoke up, "We're trying to connect one of these blocked-off tunnels with the newer emergency tunnel system above, and I have no idea how to use that rock-mover thing they built."

Akira thought for a moment, then, "Ask Ashani if she still needs Katara and if not, send her with Atin. Poor girl probably misses the sun."

"Actually, I think it would be a wonderful idea for Katara to get some fresh air. And no, I don't think I'll need her for at least another few hours." Ashani emerged from behind the stone barrier and strode away into the cavern. A few moments later, Katara emerged with a large bag slung over one shoulder.

"Hey, could one of you take this back to Ling? Thanks." She said as Anzin relieved her of the bag, "Oh, and Ashani said it would be okay if you wanted to go in."

"Thanks, Katara." said Akira. The waterbender moved to let him through the thin opening in the curtain of stone, although as he passed she pulled his shoulder to bring him down to her level.

"I healed the physical damage, but even with my bending it could be several days before I can detect...anything else," Katara whispered, "We can figure out what to do about it then." Akira nodded and continued inside.

The inside was dark, the high walls blocking most of the ever-present glow from lava pools, but several of the small burning stakes dotted the edges of the small chamber.

Ty Lee was laying on a small cot in the center of the chamber, rolled over on her side with a thin blanket pulled over her head. Akira quietly crouched down next to her, but there was a muffled _crack_ as his leg plate--one of the few pieces of armor they wore even down here--hit a rock. The acrobat jumped and threw off the blanket, then stopped as she noticed the cause of the sound.

"Hey, easy. Just me." Akira said. Ty Lee relaxed back onto the cot, although she made no move to retrieve the blanket. She was wearing a pale pink under-robe that looked a few sizes too big for her, but it couldn't be helped--Ashani was the only woman in the group who had brought extra clothing.

"Ashani says you'll be okay, in fact you should be able to get out of here by tomorrow." He said, but for all the response he got he might as well have been talking to a rock, "You okay? Look, I know this has been..._difficult_, but--"

"I'm sorry." Ty Lee's voice was weak, but it brought Akira to a halt as he stared in blank confusion at the girl.

"Sorry?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about...about the fight. You know, on the ferry coming back." The acrobat said. Akira settled himself into a more comfortable position and started to reach for her hand. The motion was aborted, however, and he let his hand fall to massage his leg as an uncomfortable silence filled the enclosure.

"Azula said--"

"Azula always lies, remember?" He tried to cut her off, but Ty Lee continued as though she hadn't heard.

"Azula said that you wouldn't come. She said that you wouldn't help a traitor to the nation, and that you probably hated me now."

"Ty Lee, I don't and never will hate you, and neither will any of the Wolves." Again she ignored him.

"I said a lot of stuff on the ferry, mostly bad stuff. I didn't really mean it, I swear, I just--"

"With all due respect, _shut it_." Akira cut in, reaching in and shutting the girl's mouth with one hand. The gymnast tried to continue for a moment, but soon trailed off into silence as Akira moved his hand away. Again silence reigned in the chamber.

As the silence began to seem permanent, the flickering of the lit stakes was joined by another small light. "Hey, remember this?" Ty Lee slowly turned to look at Akira. Or rather, at Akira's hand, which now held a small orange flame. He gently moved his hand and the fire began shifting across his palm. Akira continued the movement, until the dancing flame was swirling in lazy, almost hypnotic motions along his palm and fingers.

As Ty Lee watched the floating spark, however, Akira flicked one of his fingers upward and the flame shot out into space then fell, almost grazing the tips of his fingers as it seemed to slingshot around the back of his hand to return to his palm. Several more finger movements, and the flame blurred into a hazy yet intricate design in midair.

His movements became faster, almost erratic, as the flame danced and spun, weaving between his fingers and whipping around his hand as blue sparks began trailing the flame. Akira's eyes narrowed for a moment in concentration, then the orange was swallowed by a pure bolt of azure, still darting and weaving in the strange dance around his hand.

The flame continued to move faster as Akira's other hand joined the first in directing the flame. Now it spun and whipped over and around both hands, even up onto his arms several times.

Finally, Akira held his hands out and the flame stopped between them before flickering and fading into oblivion. The enclosure returned to the flickering light of the stakes, except for a short series of sparks from a stake near the entrance.

"You've gotten better, what was that pattern called?" She asked. Akira grinned and rubbed his arm sheepishly.

"Honestly, I stopped using the old named patterns a while back. I sort of made that one up using parts from 'The Monkey' and maybe a bit from "The Cat-Owl Twins'. Other than that, it was all made-up as I went."

He thought he saw a flicker of a smile, "You _have_ gotten better. You used to burn your fingers a lot, remember?"

Akira laughed softly, "Yeah, I remember. I'm glad that servant of yours knew about all of those healing herbs, Nei probably would've just yelled at me for being stupid and hurting myself." His smile faded as he looked at the ceiling, "Anzin sent Li to check on your family, he should be getting back soon."

Almost as soon as he had finished, something small and furry collided with the back of his head and launched itself at Ty Lee. Before anyone quite knew what had happened, the gymnast found herself staring at a pair of deep amber eyes, the armadillo-cat to which they belonged now nuzzling her cheek and giving a plaintive mew, as if to scold its mother for leaving it at home.

"That's one smart cat, ma'am." Li spoke up, leaning against the entry-way, "No idea how she survived on her own for over a week, but I found her near your house and she wouldn't leave me alone." The creature in question was now being rubbed behind the ears and purring loudly as it settled into a ball at the edge of Ty Lee's cot.

Akira eased himself up, groaning as one of his knees popped loudly. "I'll be back later, right now I need to track down Yarin." Following Li out of the cramped room, he was surprised as Aidyn barreled into the back of his leg and nearly put him on the ground.

"She doesn't want you to leave." Ty Lee wore what might have been an amused grin as she motioned the armadillo-cat back to her. "You know, " she added, her smile weakening, "for the number of times I fought with them, Katara's been really nice to me."

Akira looked back from where he'd been sliding through the exit, "Yeah, Katara's all right. Anybody who could still work with us after the run-in I had with Sokka is definitely all right. The Avatar and his friends are good people, Ty Lee. You don't have to worry about Azula anymore, you've got real friends now." With that he fully exited the chamber, emerging into the red-tinted underground that he had yet to completely get used to.

He started to wonder where Yarin might have gotten off to when he noticed Aang approaching.

"Need something, Avatar?" Akira inwardly winced at the tone of his voice, realizing that came out harsher than he intended. _Be nice, you're on the same side now._

Mercifully, the airbender appeared to take no notice, "Uh, I was wondering if I could ask you something."

Li interrupted, "Hang on, Avatar, I just need to have a word with the Captain on something. Shouldn't take long, then you two can talk." The airbender nodded vaguely as Li led the way over to one of the stone pillars.

"Okay, Captain, you said you wanted a report." Li started, "The mansion is a bunch of sticks. They burned the whole thing to the ground, and I couldn't stick around long enough to find anything or anyone besides that cat." Li's expression was unreadable, and it rubbed Akira the wrong way to know that he couldn't read either his or Atin's body language nearly as well as his own men.

Even Anzin was still recognizable; his habit of tucking his head down a bit and to the left when stressed was muted but still there, along with countless other idiosyncracies that broadcasted feeling and intent more accurately than words ever could.

"Captain?" Too late, Akira realized he was staring. Giving himself a quick shake, he brought his attention back to the present to find the other Guardsman staring with what was probably an amused expression.

"Sorry, spaced out for a moment. Not enough sleep, I think. Anyway, thanks for the info, I just wish there was time to do more."

Li nodded, "I know what you mean, I feel useless when it's not my turn top-side. Well then," he pushed away from the pillar he'd been leaning on and and began walking away, "If there's nothing else, I'm going to challenge Anzin to a Pai-Sho match on that board your Seargent brought over. He claims he's winning 16-14, but anyone can tell you he's only won 15."

Akira watched Li make his way beck towards what had been dubbed "The Camp". A circle of stone tents ringed two of the smaller lava pools while a handful of storage tents were haphazardly strewn around nearby, and a larger stone tent surrounded one of the heated pools of water to be used as a bath-house for them all and healing tent for Katara.

"So, uh, I was wanting to ask you something?" He'd almost forgotten the Avatar was still there, but he gestured for the kid to proceed as he took Li's spot against the pillar.

"I, uh, I saw one of your guys...Yarin, I think? Anyways, he--"

Akira put his hand up and Aang stopped short, "I know, he's working on a short fuse right now...we all are." The Firebender sighed, "You grew up as a monk, I don't suppose you know what it's like to lose a brother."

For a moment there was silence, then, "The other Airbenders at the temple...they were close enough to be my family. I lost everything when the war started, remember?"

Akira mentally kicked himself, "I'm sorry, it's easy to forget that you're a hundred years old. However...even knowing that, Yarin's situation is still...different."

"Different?" The Avatar's face was all confusion as he stared at Akira. The Firebender sighed again, before raising his head to stare at the ceiling of the cavern.

"Yarin's story goes back a ways, back before the Wolves," He began slowly, "The Wolves, White Unit, we're High Guardsmen. In the military, that translates to everything from bodyguards and heavy assault soldiers to saboteurs and assassins. Well, not so much on assassination anymore; Ozai's not nearly as fond of the practice as Azulon was. The Darkwalkers, Anzin's unit--they were Azulon's prize. Their only failed assignment was getting rid of the Blue Spirit, a fact that Anzin's probably still touchy about." Aang's face twitched once, perhaps towards a smile, but Akira was still staring at the ceiling and missed the look completely.

"Anyways, where was I? Oh right, the versatility. Since we're expected to do so much, and since most units spend so much time in the field, mortality is pretty high. Not as high as the normal army," He added hastily, "But there's hardly a month where you don't hear about somebody you know...well..._biting it_."

"Even White Unit hasn't been left out. We've lost several over the years, and we've accepted those from units that were too decimated to keep going. Dasi, Yarin, and I guess Li and Atin now are among that last set. Dasi and Yarin were both a part of Green Unit, which was destroyed along with just about everything else at Three Pines."

"I've heard several people mention that battle. Katara says she doesn't remember hearing anything about it and neither Toph nor Sokka know more than the fact that the Fire Nation got beaten."

"Beaten?" Akira snorted, "Try beaten, stabbed, crushed, burnt to a crisp and then tossed in the river. Three Pines _humiliated_ us, and it cost us way too many good men. I could tell you exactly what happened, but the short version is that the commander in charge of all our forces was an over-ambitious baboon-dog whose name I refuse to remember, and wanted to curry a bit of favor with the Fire Lord. The Earth Kingdom forces knew who he was, not surprising considering he normally oversaw operations in the region to begin with, and they knew just how to get him hot and steaming. We were doing just fine by dividing them and forcing retreats, but he was getting frustrated and insisted on a knockout blow."

"Green and Brown Units, and two men on loan from White, were all sent in as escort for over half of the regular troops. I'm ashamed to admit that the commander's over-confidence was catching. We got sloppy, and they got off a textbook flank crash before we knew our faces from firewood. Brown Unit was wiped out to a man, and Green was cut to three. We got off light, only lost two men that day." Akira's voice was bitter, and he raked a hand through his hair before he continued.

"Two of the men from Green Unit were assigned to us to replace those we lost. Those two men were Dasi and Yarin."

"After a few months with White Unit, they had fit in to the point where an outsider couldn't tell the difference. Thing is, we _could_. Yarin was extremely protective of Dasi, always stuck with him on full squad deployments. Yarin made sure he got whatever he wanted, kept the rest of us off Dasi's back, that kind of stuff."

"It sounds like Yarin really cared about him."

"You don't know the half of it," Akira muttered, "But that's all I can really say. If you want the rest of the story, you'll have to ask Yarin about it. Now, was that all you wanted to ask?" Aang fidgeted for a second, but remained silent. Akira nodded and turned to leave.

"Uh, actually..." Aang trailed off as Akira turned to look back at him.

"Avatar, with all due respect, spit it out."

"You...you and Ty Lee...it's just, well..." He faltered again, but then, "You like her, don't you?"

Akira stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded, "Yeah, I do," He said, then fixed Aang with a somewhat amused grin, "Am I right in saying you're fairly fond of our resident healer?"

Aang's expression was priceless, if a bit delayed as he realized what Akira meant. He opened his mouth to reply, but Akira waved him silent and just clapped him on the shoulder as he went by. He hadn't gotten more than a few feet past the Avatar, however, when Akira tossed back over his shoulder:

"Between you and me, she sorta looks like old portraits of my mother."

-----------------------

Atin was bored.

Check that, he was _very_ bored. He couldn't take any unfinished gadget top-side to work on, since they had to stay still and alert for any over-curious explorers that might stumble over the house. He also had to stay alert for Anzin, who was currently chatting up the merchants at the evening market for any details on moving a rather unique animal through the city.

The Avatar's bison had yet to be found despite daily searching, and it was hopelessly obvious that Aang was maintaining only a slim hold on his emotions. Atin had never experienced the Avatar State in person, but he agreed with the unspoken pledge to go easy on the kid and count himself lucky to _not_ have the probably painful experience.

Denied his usual pastimes, the firebender took to idly toying with loose tiles in the street as he thought about the brilliant, albeit untested, alarm system that Toph had set up. In the exceedingly slim chance that anyone was poking around, he could bring his boot down on a small chunk of stone disguised to look like just another piece in the road. Right now his heel was resting on the stone, waiting for a Toph-induced tremor that would signal their forced retreat from the cavern and request an "all clear" from either himself or Katara. If that ever happened (again, highly unlikely, but Ling and Toph had worked out the system and no-one was going to argue with either of them) two quick shots with his heel would signal back that it was safe to bring everyone up.

Across the street, he saw Katara suddenly stiffen and draw back deeper into her own hiding place.

_So, someone's coming from the north_, he thought. He couldn't see in that direction from where he hid, instead watching the stretch of road to the south, but soon he could hear muted footfalls on the street. There seemed to be only one man, and he sounded heavy despite obvious attempts to keep his passage quiet.

Atin made a quick estimate and began counting down. A beat after his countdown expired a man appeared in the street, moving softly but surely down the center of the road. He had a rough traveling cloak that obscured his build, although even a conservative observer would have called him large, and the hood had been pulled up to hide his face. Not at all uncommon out here, especially given the less than honest business that took place in these neighborhoods.

Still, something about the man felt...off. His posture wasn't quite...

He felt rather than heard the movement behind him, and turned just in time to catch a glancing boot to the side of his face that drove him into the wall. Grunting with the pain, he gave a cursory rub to his now throbbing jaw as he brought an arm up to stop another kick to the face.

His attacker was wearing a traveling cloak nearly identical to the man, although he seemed to be a good deal smaller and far more agile as Atin found himself backed into the wall by a flurry of punches and kicks that left his blocking limbs feeling like they'd been hit by a Komodo Rhino.

Then his opponent made a mistake, committing to a punch a hair too early and leaving Atin an opening to get his head out of the way, leaving the incoming fist with nothing to hit.

Except, of course, the wall.

The sound was somewhere between a dull _thud_ and a crunching sound, but all he cared about was that his attacker was now doubled over and breathing raggedly whle cradling an obviously broken hand. The firebender brought his arm back to take advantage of the opening when he felt a restraining arm close on his shoulder. Without thinking, he threw his elbow back and made contact. He heard a sharp exhale as he turned to down this mysterious attacker for good, but before he could do much more than register movement he found himself slammed against the wall and a cloaked figure staring into his face. Then the figure removed its hood and Atin ceased trying to break the man's grip and simply stared.

"General Iroh?" The former general maintained a neutral expression as Katara crossed the street with two other cloaked figures and began healing his attacker's hand. Finally, he felt the hands relax and he slid down the wall to actually stand before the massive man.

"I would very much like to meet with your friends. As well as the Avatar, if I can."

"Uh, okay," Atin managed, "Right over here, sir."

--------------------

Toph's face momentarily clouded over in a mixture of concern and confusion before getting up from the edge of the heated pool. Mina had quickly become her favorite of their new "friends"--she still didn't trust them completely--and the two could often be found sitting at the edge of one of many underground pools and talking like the oldest of friends. Mina was easy to talk to, and it definitely helped that she and Toph agreed more often than not on how things ought to be.

Plus, it got boring down here with nothing to do but play doorman for the search parties top-side.

So, she sat around and talked with the Yu-Yan, about anything and everything. Once, all they did was think up creative--and usually insulting--nicknames for everyone they knew, and even Toph could admit that Mina had her beat in the longest string of insults, curses, and outright swears that the young Earthbender had ever heard. She also used their conversations to feel out the occasional white lie or half-truth from the archer, and had come to the fairly certain conclusion that Sokka had somehow snared another fan. She debated often whether to tell Mina just what _she_ thought of him, but figured that the archer might have to find out on her own.

So they continued talking, leading up to today's discussion on spark rocks, traditional Fire Nation food, and their shared distaste for wasting time on personal appearance. Which of course had somehow come back to Sokka.

"Y'know, I wonder how Sokka and Katara are even related sometimes. I mean, Sokka's really cool, laid back, y'know? With his sis, it's all about getting everything lined out, put in the proper place, but with him it's not--"

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I need to check on something." Toph swung her legs out of the water and stood up, giving the ground a solid slap with one foot to get a good view of where she was going. Then, she turned back quickly to Mina, "And you do realize that you're gonna have to hit him over the head with the fact that you like him, right? Hardest head I've ever met besides mine."

The entrance shaft under the house was easy to find, the stone well worn from repeated raising and lowering, and Toph had become familiar with the usual vibrations from overhead. Placing her hands on the stone, she nodded quickly and moved over to a small shaft embedded in the rock. Giving it a quick jab, she felt the vibrations pass up to the surface, answered a moment later by two sharp pulses.

She frowned again as she placed her hand back on the shaft wall. Atin's vibrations were becoming familiar by now, and Toph could pick out Sugar Queen anywhere, but the four other shapes were unfamiliar. She wasn't sure, but she might have met the largest figure before. Still...

"Hey, somebody get over here! We've got strangers wanting to come down!" A moment later and Ling exited his tent and moved up to stand beside her.

Toph gave the briefest of shrugs, "I guess you'll do," she said, before beginning to drag the shaft down into the Earth. As the shapes came closer, she became aware that Sokka and Mina had also joined her, and that Mina's heartbeat was quite a few ticks above normal.

The newcomers were almost at their level when she heard Mina whisper something behind her. She wasn't entirely sure what was said, but they vanished from her "sight" quickly as she found her concentration taken up by a weakening wall that threatened to give out the moment the platform descended past.

She finally let the stone come to a crunching halt, and Atin led the way out into the cavern. The large man, who she _knew_ she had met before, stepped quickly over to Ling, and the old seargent's heartrate made an impressive jump.

"Who are these people?" Toph asked Katara, noting that both she and Atin seemed keyed up.

Katara responded, her voice deliberately calm, "This is Iroh, Zuko's uncle. He and--"

"I _knew_ I had met him!" Toph shouted in triumph, disturbing the quiet conversation between Iroh and Ling. She tuned into his vibrations, giving him an appreciative once-over before nodding, "You've been doing some serious exercise, huh? Lookin' good, old man."

If she had sight, she would have seen Ling glaring at her, perhaps offended over referring to the great General Iroh as "old man", but Iroh's hearty laugh silenced any complaints he may have had.

"My dear Toph, it has been far too long since I have had the pleasure of speaking with you. I am glad I have found you all in good health."

"Hey, who are these guys?" Sokka's voice came from behind her as he and Mina returned to the group. Toph noted the mutually elevated heart-rates, as well as a few clues from posture, and groaned inwardly. Oh well, Mina could make her own choices, and in the meantime...

"S-Sokka?" The voice was so small that Toph wasn't entirely sure she'd heard right at first, but one of the strangers slowly stepped toward him with shaky footsteps that seemed unsure of which direction to run.

"Huh? Do I know you?" Sokka asked with genuine curiosity before he found himself crushed in an embrace by the stranger that very nearly lifted him off the ground.

"Oww...can't breathe...something hard...jabbing...in the..." He let out a grateful sigh as the cloaked figure relaxed the death embrace and hurriedly reached into the cloak for a moment before producing...

"_Boomerang! You found it!_" Toph was fairly certain that every inhabitant of the cavern was now assembled at their impromptu meeting, and she was just as certain that they were all now looking at Sokka and his new friend as the Water Tribesman all but danced with joy. Then said friend reached up and unclasped the cloak, and Sokka's reaction was instant. Toph's eyes narrowed as she felt his heart rate climb so fast that she swore she felt a stutter, and his body went rigid as he gave out a small squeak.

"Sokka, I--I thought you...I thought you were..." Once again, Sokka was pulled into a crushing hug, but the voice and her "sight" together had triggered Toph's memory and she felt her own eyes widen a fraction as she identified the voice.

"Suki?"

--------------------------

Katara watched as Suki pulled Sokka into another embrace as her brain tried to absorb the fact that the girl from Kyoshi was here in the Fire Nation, and traveling with Iroh of all people! She heard several sets of boots crunching on the stone floor, turning to see Yarin walking slowly towards the group. Akira was approaching as well, supporting Ty Lee with one arm. The acrobat winced at each step, but waved off his offer to physically carry her with an amused glare and an attempt at a smile.

"General Iroh, it's an honor sir." Akira said as he attempted an awkward bow, only to be hauled back up by the general.

"My companions have told me much about you, and I have heard much more on my own. I do not believe you need to bow to me, Captain." Iroh smiled as Akira stared in blank confusion.

"I'm so happy that you're all safe!" Ty Lee piped up, her free arm reaching out and wrapping around Midori's neck.

"I won't be for much longer if you keep this up!" Midori laughed as she managed to carefully extricate herself from the acrobat's death-grip and moved to stand by Katara, "We're just glad that Iroh's friends were able to help us hide out in the city."

"So, you're the 'ghosts' that everyone's been talking about," Anzin muttered in a slight daze, "A general and three thin, scruffy-looking girls are confounding the military garrison of the Capital City itself. Frankly, I'm surprised you're alive at all."

"Yeah, thanks again Iroh," Suki spoke up from where she remained more or less glued to Sokka, "I'm just glad that Azula was wrong about all of you." She tightened her grip on the Water Tribe warrior as she mumbled something into his shoulder.

Then the two were kissing, deeply, passionately, and unashamedly oblivious to the audience around them. Katara felt her cheeks burn as she tried to look anywhere but at her brother and Suki, while she heard at least two of the Guardsmen cheering and Toph making a rather derisive noise. She chanced another look, and saw that Mina was wearing an expression suitable to being punched in the gut. Frowning slightly, she was about to ask if the archer was feeling alright when Ty Lee's high-pitched squeal of approval echoed throughout the cavern and all thoughts were put aside to massage her ringing ears.

"And on that note, I think it's time we set up the newcomers with some tents and figured out what we're supposed to do now." Ling said. General approval followed, and everyone was all motion again, hurrying to find food and supplies for the newcomers, while Ty Lee was convincing her two Kyoshi companions to give the heated springs a try. Katara looked around to find her brother, but he and Suki had disappeared, along with Mina.

Trying to scrub the images of moments prior from her mind, she found herself instead remembering the "talk" she and Aang had just before the invasion attempt. She found herself blushing again as the taste of pomegranate and sea-salt ghosted across her lips, but a shout from Midori involving her hand and questioning Katara's healing ability roused her from her thoughts. As she made her way back to the tents, giving a shouted reply to Midori's criticism, she couldn't help but think that maybe, just _maybe_, things were going to finally turn out all right.

**But of course Katara would be wrong...otherwise this story is going to be totally anticlimactic. I would be most pleased if you could check out and respond to a poll I've got on my profile page, it could actually determine which version of Chapter 31 I use. Now, back to work, and I hopefully won't take six months to finish the next installment.**

**--NullChronicler--**


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